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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.- F5 s( v, l' ^" A
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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." H7 U, Z0 t( |& C. Y% ]
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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.
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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?$ {) l9 {! H) f# G2 L z5 p: S C
0 E' u+ b5 G1 z( C2 CAt about $370,000 average nationally — and just under $800,000 in Vancouver — home prices are already at record levels. Many observers believe prices are long due for a downward correction of anywhere from 10 per cent to 25 per cent, perhaps more in some of the hottest markets.; b, S9 f' ^7 k8 `5 Q
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"Home prices to income, housing price to rent, all the indicators are setting off warning signals," said Derek Burleton, a senior economist with TD Bank." J E. d4 G0 z: q1 V
6 k& r3 A; l u8 s# h1 E& ?8 i. e"If you are purely in it for reaping profits, now is not a bad time to sell" before prices drop.
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The profits from selling a home can be used to build savings, eliminate debt, make traditional investments or, ironically, buy more real estate — albeit in a different market where home prices are lower.
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/ K# @4 [0 k. C/ k9 j; YOf course, even if it makes sense financially, selling the family home to rent or move to a less expensive housing market doesn't make lifestyle sense for the vast majority of Canadians.4 v* M8 M: w5 y+ M2 `
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Burleton knows how they feel.
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$ S& u3 d; v( T2 y"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.6 `9 p. n1 D! l6 w
: f: a" l! C4 d- TWhile 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.5 I3 A6 S9 ~. M x; ^: A
" I, l) z/ J9 g. X0 H5 e5 VAnd 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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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.3 V+ R7 y5 q- P' T0 z
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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.- x( w& R- e$ L" E( R
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That is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.8 |# V& s9 W2 ^
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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.
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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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"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.": d8 }2 O" P* \! z/ P' ]+ A
* G% p! N8 `( `( |7 DThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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7 A/ [- v }1 z, _! e! Q5 uBut 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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