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欢迎讨论, 但千万别拍砖.7 G" I5 z6 D4 i2 |
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http://www.globalnews.ca/money/w ... 42638608/story.html% ]( D4 {: a1 C6 l0 b, [3 ~
; O$ V: y" C9 j4 h2 q/ BOTTAWA - 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./ t1 y; f' \' k0 v3 k A
1 D8 z5 o V9 w: |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.% @/ i$ y9 Q h' \ m& m
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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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- X8 G5 @3 M% t% l" m6 c& oWhy might it be a good time to sell?
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6 m0 |7 E( t6 `/ z# ^$ yAt 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.- F& h' h1 }! R, R0 f8 o
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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.6 S: ?+ A' _. a& ~: H
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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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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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: K6 ^! {7 h" zBurleton knows how they feel.
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7 C6 B8 A+ ~7 i& j"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.* L- K- E; V8 X" B' h. d
1 ?3 \& | k* m4 VWith ownership levels near a record 70 per cent, demand is expected to wane, making it a buyers market for the first time in years. G" i+ p' F: f; O C( E
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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, }# R. j5 R. J9 N
$ h y( Z1 Y! `6 s! lIn 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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- m6 ?4 Z. j! N5 b" C* BMeanwhile, 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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, F5 M; X2 c0 Q4 ]" W: N, W7 F4 dThat is a hard indicator that homes are over-valued, but also that renting is relatively cheap compared to buying.+ x6 Y- Y- Y V0 u
9 t* t. E; m/ V9 ~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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8 S! M. {) A( F! @. l% C: n"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." u' ]; \2 S/ m
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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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% Z* M7 p9 v! }2 MThe market is clearly at or near peak, he said, so soon may indeed be the time to act.
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6 c5 F2 y5 z; r' O$ w& wBut 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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