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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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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.* p" }* l' a9 M7 ~% }4 v
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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.) o8 R2 { r" t# e& p1 u) ~! {% y
8 a9 Z- }- U( ~8 Q& R# uIn 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.0 y" x2 e- {3 f' B# u' G1 d' }
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Why might it be a good time to sell?
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# P# l. i1 p7 i# q, lAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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) E! n9 F% D1 \; I4 F; f! C"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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& g* `3 p0 a' d9 P0 ^8 J, c! CThe profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.7 v: S+ z( \# p! z3 H
- a0 x* I$ X. V8 C' M$ p) ?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.9 I% R. i, N: k& r1 ?
4 I& n4 m4 j4 P/ G# j) EBurleton 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.; g2 E( N- S1 `/ l; ?. x
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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 D \, V3 |' _- A
( L, {2 T- o+ W' pIn 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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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.; y& z! b6 Q; Z( r( 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." H: {1 ^1 Q* k: [: N n
& H5 O& I( N6 d2 J% E( _0 v0 n% D- Y0 c' IDavid 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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: d6 ^. |/ N6 h5 r4 a"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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The market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.( a* V" C: \1 s6 x
! }! A) h# Z8 N8 ~+ K' L" tBut 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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