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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.
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K4 ?8 g) p* _8 C8 `2 Dhttp://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html
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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.( J+ j+ r6 u( t0 _
! E# [' P4 {' r6 J+ ~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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1 O! ?* }$ q% \, \+ }9 p9 r1 N. hIn 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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8 T5 v6 @. N0 ^7 j7 OWhy might it be a good time to sell?9 N( O7 p' d9 L* A6 X. }
3 U( R1 g: Y/ _& J2 ZAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.; _2 w; s) @# L
2 ~0 A8 a( l( e2 W"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop. w( Q; N* K" E& [: w; z
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower. ~6 w; ^' [' \- r
( b; [( G& R0 `& v* bOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.8 }) R/ Q" f% {9 H
! k$ c: d; d. gBurleton knows how they feel.
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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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, _+ R1 z. p# o {' K( y5 @, IWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.) L" ?: Y5 W$ G4 B ]! @* w
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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.7 y* p2 E% u6 y) e" C
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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.8 W# m1 P) J7 I$ Y$ |
8 y! R! ^ x/ Q9 N: VIn 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.& S g2 n9 Y( K& j9 n7 @
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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. R" O0 h+ G6 h
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.. f, _+ S1 G. j3 _
) ~- q- x. F8 xDavid 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.3 k r4 x; _- ~# m
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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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"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."+ O$ J6 u8 W' ]" _3 E, F
8 r n$ g6 ?* JThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.+ v% E+ Z; E3 n I3 R
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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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