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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
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( C. [0 @& }7 t& O# y0 V7 _) ~OTTAWA - 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.3 G7 y ?. R" @: ?4 S$ g: H+ [
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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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8 f6 R* D( f Q* m) y9 u8 MIn 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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5 k# i" |: b1 D$ dWhy might it be a good time to sell?, {' l% T1 H5 N" ]4 n" m$ j+ o
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.3 `, N; F/ M: D
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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, J1 E/ c6 A Q1 G/ d* A"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.- O# L% r- g# o0 a6 `
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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8 e4 A; s) B6 K, s7 ]; uOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.& o' H9 `2 P% v, e: p. ]
& x$ t% e, I# ^7 a/ w"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.: h0 V+ p2 U# j2 l/ c. C
, L8 g. d" q- x( X4 Z+ l4 u6 zWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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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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9 U$ b* L. A" c* |3 d' yAnd 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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In 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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" ~# O( z) J$ YMeanwhile, 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.& m6 h) ] L J' ^
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.; V4 D" R! M- G( @
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David 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.$ o2 l: S' E# L5 l1 m- T$ D
4 f, Z# r; Y+ t1 V% _& [: k"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.5 R _! |9 J5 p9 { h9 G
! X, ~3 X- {6 Z5 F; p. g2 F, M"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."
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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.2 I; u3 ]: j! F% s! l7 D
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But 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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