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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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8 b6 V% l- I0 a3 wOTTAWA - 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.+ b1 J) y; k( ^8 ^9 m5 \, U
7 b: |) d9 |4 |' e' kPeople 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. A# ~# M# n: E5 v4 s4 {& L+ v
8 G! [2 P. J; u6 w; }4 iWhy might it be a good time to sell?* r9 g/ l$ Z' x. r7 r/ j/ ?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# G; A3 b$ [" g4 }# G- o; ^3 m
4 j5 d* _6 F, a$ f"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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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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.: k" P; t3 k ]4 ]6 w8 z
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Of 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.+ l o& {6 T5 }5 Q( r- i
6 T( A# D; r0 @/ J% C& IBurleton knows how they feel.8 i. x- |1 d" z* Z# z
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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.# |) a7 u- ]5 p9 U. J( d
6 J3 {1 K4 M9 N: \7 Q) @! v! Z, fWhile 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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7 \8 e: v6 E$ ?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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' R+ y l8 @ G# q- tAnd 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.1 @3 A) X8 S T- |$ D$ z
) V) e# o1 w9 pIn 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.. x! c2 H' j! D: x& ?. Y
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Meanwhile, 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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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% E% z7 |; |! x7 H7 H( c6 JDavid 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., _: c; w, }6 @% X; O
( Z8 k+ D1 p( ^/ h"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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8 a& F4 t5 `' w3 K V0 ]; kThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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$ ]3 }) Q1 o. f( {; W) EBut 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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