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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html# X& A6 s# t$ I% P
3 I" p: D. `- V$ m8 u. gOTTAWA - For most Canadians their home is the biggest investment they'll ever make — but they might be surprised to learn you can use if for more than just sleeping./ u+ s4 t/ s( f" t
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People generally don't think of their homes as a potential pile of cash in the bank, but experts say it's something worth pondering now that home prices in Canada may have hit their peak.
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In fact, analysts say if finance is the only consideration, conditions now and into next year or so form a seldom seen sweet spot for using home equity as a type of asset for investment.
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$ D* {5 z/ k. H4 p) a. {Why might it be a good time to sell?
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( B6 k' B( n: T |At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets." X# a5 s% {, M
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.- B" I1 Q: T# \" c0 z% L! ^
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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- z& @& z) q$ K9 W, xThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower./ F8 w6 ]& L7 t* ^
: B. G4 H+ O, M9 q: C* POf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.% B2 y/ g. v: \3 ^4 m
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Burleton knows how they feel.1 ~, |9 v1 Y2 I! d7 G; c
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"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.
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8 ^( r. M9 ~7 h. v# y/ E* nWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.* @" g- e. c3 g9 O+ Z
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With ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years.
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8 N8 _0 |2 Z$ e8 {9 hAnd Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney warned last month he was preparing to hike rates, which along with tighter lending rules being applied by federal authorities could trigger a flight from real estate.
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/ g, b/ p% i* [9 dIn market terms, selling a home at the peak is a way of "locking in" profits accumulated over the past decade of price appreciation — and tax free if it's the principal home.
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! z- H" r) J% C$ A0 S SMeanwhile, home valuations have been rising far faster than the rent they would fetch since at least 2000. Canada's home price-to-rent ratio is well above historic norms and among the highest in the advanced world.( A9 {) F! _+ C3 S& R/ Y7 `, x
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying. |' h/ R) h" t1 r/ l
) S- h3 E7 B' k }# a* a6 KDavid Madani of Capital Economics, who anticipates a 25 per cent price crash over the next few years, cautions that like selling stock shares, timing is always tricky.
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"We're dealing with irrational exuberance. We've been treating housing like some magical financial asset that is going to solve all our problems because prices are always going up," he said.
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# k0 p8 g* v& o& x"Of course, when the turn comes, the over-confidence that drove the market up can turn to fear. You are dealing with emotion ... so I don't believe in a soft landing."1 x8 o1 Z# e6 z, {1 p
4 w9 E3 Y7 t" w5 |/ M9 UThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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/ {8 |5 A4 p" N& ^- qBut then again he felt that way a year ago, he points out, and if households had acted on his advice they might not have gotten all the value they could from the premature sale. |
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