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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.# Q& n& e) i3 }- z& U) f
- c2 j6 T# D% q9 ~# }" @6 Mhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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1 A$ d2 y1 Z9 w0 u6 e$ C3 Q! LOTTAWA - 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./ h1 i6 G( b! l& P
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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., e& G& ?0 c5 D) c2 D/ T6 o
: ^9 c! s( p4 f tIn 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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1 s7 F! Z' T* o( t3 HWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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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.# y# p% n/ S I: L+ `" B
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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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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.( x; ?% [2 l1 M6 [ L1 w
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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., ` |; C* ~' L; R1 [& |
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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.# f- E* L3 i, F2 `1 {
$ k: I* j2 {+ h' ?9 E: U6 iBurleton knows how they feel.# N3 Q8 s0 u- Q3 y/ V
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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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While 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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And 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.6 L& ]/ n. b/ V9 b
3 q4 a" P/ N& G/ K) JIn 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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* r; a Z8 \. P, WMeanwhile, 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.* Q# {. C; S" N# I! g) Q: V W+ 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.
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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./ V6 F; R, g% B1 \. s; y. F
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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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& r, k& G" s: g, c"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."+ p; z7 \) U# r7 e+ }& M9 A6 g& z9 {: ~
9 P% h% w9 m5 A" M5 o2 J8 y' l8 @ sThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 {/ e2 D$ j3 o- O) 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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