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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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/ E5 M' j8 `* [7 X3 ^7 R! v+ N+ KOTTAWA - 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.$ H5 J5 B8 Y- F( a
, L2 M, t3 P3 G* V2 Z4 _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.6 O1 J! u9 l9 e- p) b
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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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Why might it be a good time to sell?9 X% b3 O4 x' M% l
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.# O3 c: A2 S( m; L0 N! ^: {
: t$ v$ t- F/ 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.* Y Q$ d; \4 h! V$ Z8 V
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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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n2 P4 @ M+ AThe 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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& G# P6 ?5 ?3 tOf 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.: S1 M* u: g1 C3 d0 F
# j4 S4 a6 E4 b0 VBurleton knows how they feel.
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5 v* }+ b% n/ @ ~7 o% \ a"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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1 V! e# i! h) i6 qWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way. b1 t- {0 ~3 k
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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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4 e1 x L7 U/ P, p6 JAnd 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.. u, Z- c7 M% B0 a, f
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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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5 m6 Z7 O6 `1 zMeanwhile, 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.$ w( _2 j5 }' p0 A
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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.6 a/ Y5 g; ?% l( y9 Z( ^3 W3 o) z
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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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! Z' Q2 ?, N5 q"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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/ ~: Z, H) t- _8 J8 E( ZThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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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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