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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.- k5 d" V, `% M4 ^
7 p# N7 X* i, u7 \1 Q& F, _ UPeople 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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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?
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At about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.- D' E* S+ a @/ C" W8 y. ~
7 a8 ~2 C# c6 K. w+ _' ?"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank.
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"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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! E9 L" T6 Q" R" }& x R P% K! E7 {Of course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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! m& g7 W7 s; }- B8 ^1 s/ ]' k"I wouldn't want to sell my home right now even if I wind up taking a hit on the home price, just because I enjoy where I'm living and moving is a pain," he said.
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While there's no guarantee of a correction, observers note there are additional signs that the housing market could cool off in a big way.
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$ Z% N$ p4 O0 o: [, P3 @5 kWith 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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7 L# V& J- t0 X1 ^- |$ u! _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.' H) u* A" p: ?" z* z% S
: U; Y, v8 W) }/ |7 r9 y' h3 @# qIn 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.' `; ]( N0 l- O' |+ `$ k1 ~; T# p% s q
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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.
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.# `; }0 J) Q8 c4 S! z, c
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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.. h: j' D+ j+ T) U+ z5 z: A$ `
& E- I& f5 g; Q0 b0 O"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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& A& F9 X6 z4 d3 _+ O; 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."" h5 ?0 Q' |( ^6 C4 J# O
; i' f0 p$ t M/ i; C) TThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.7 Z( R, X. W* W6 c4 s
; ^* y9 E0 L; Z2 R& ?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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