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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.; T4 |! S- b7 u: @
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html+ n1 I- w/ C2 f% X& h6 S' s% P
. L: f& c- d7 `% e1 U+ i$ z, pOTTAWA - 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. w8 f# y( W# `; c
5 t8 R3 [8 g7 x5 ^% `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.& k7 u' \( ]/ d2 }
& o8 }) [- v' ?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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6 C& d( o# U) Q- H) e. PWhy might it be a good time to sell?& w+ Z) E5 Q) U6 U; r
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.5 r2 _8 }, Q( o$ d9 f8 W* s
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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.8 C* B- e6 z3 \$ J
' W& Y- j( \; }' R$ Z. s F- Z7 v+ r, HOf 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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8 f2 [: r6 d! k1 C O5 M( r" ?Burleton knows how they feel.# D& M( G8 ~) a4 E
2 b, D2 {+ ]' a( G- _"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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0 Y5 N0 x* k* 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., R: L" S- `' Q' p( V& j) l; R6 {
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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.- J' D% D/ ]( G7 v/ q
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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.
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+ h: a( }. v! y" H# k5 hIn 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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! g/ e) j- j5 e# K$ M& LMeanwhile, 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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1 ~. v8 L" @# B6 @- @: z+ \That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.
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: [3 V$ P: u0 c( ?( SDavid 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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) B; L( q! D4 X' O3 p) ~"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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) G* l4 @/ l' b% ~$ l" }" R; i"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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/ b7 x6 A* J* @/ a, o- L& C+ `' RThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.0 N1 g& ~; k" z4 {; ^; o% d
- ?3 ]6 Y" E- t8 u. rBut 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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