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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 H, n* B. O, \4 P% h
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http://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.
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; u: E2 y& j, m5 vPeople 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.5 h2 Q/ j) `5 O H( E
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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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5 t# E' b+ c0 D& K' ]+ u6 B: A- QWhy might it be a good time to sell?5 o. y: w! o! F$ W d4 @. i
. H- X; J% J- @ tAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.. b8 C% l0 I5 }, m, V9 n
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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s1 m0 ~( Y- n8 J P p8 TThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians., n; o9 X6 m/ {: E' N8 u5 N
Q$ W R8 n! U! Q. dBurleton knows how they feel.' l) E* e5 N4 T7 l# g( M7 x
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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.9 _# e C! v a2 `% _
/ K/ H: W' y3 d3 u6 VWhile there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.6 |" l9 |. B$ w
7 `5 G, E W. J( ?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." I/ v5 E; a7 t* [) b
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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 b2 ]% J- E! ^2 E- A; H# QMeanwhile, 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.1 y, \; Z+ y( z1 w8 B s
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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.7 @8 a# t) H* z! s; {; B" F0 Y" ^
: F$ h0 n9 J: l"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."
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( x. v1 R+ F" x4 RThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act., L6 f; u( V) h2 g! s& k( M
" ]1 q% {$ l: g6 b1 \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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