7 reasons why now is a great time to buy -- 七大原因為什麼現在是買房的時候

歷經了市場的起伏動盪後, 現在市場上留下了什麼?  ----

----- 更多聰明的買家,

        知道什麼時候機會來了,

察覺到事實顯示, 現在是可以圓房屋夢的時候了. 

So, where does that leave us? 

A lot smarter, able to recognize an opportunity

when we see one, and aware of the facts

that point to NOW as the prime time to

buy a home       

Do you like one copy of this insightful report? 

買對房子的要訣: Home-Buying Hints

Designer Thomas O'Brien's Garden

                                                   

“A Survival Guide for Buying A Home” ( by Sid Davis) 這本書中提到了三大要點:




1.  Buy Smart, Not Cheap

不是便宜的房子就是good buy.

•  盡可能避免買在交通繁忙的大街上.   請回頭細想 --- ＂我為什麼要買房子? ＂您的房子最終要把它創造成為您的”家” ,  您的家是您可以遠離煩囂的避難所, 居住其中, 您可以有權享受寧靜平安.  除非前院夠大, 不然在大街上的房子, 即使做了許多的整修更新, 日後需要轉賣時不一定都能夠回本, 而且可能會拖延較久.

• 小心Fixer Uppers.   你想要投資一棟低於市價, 但須花很多工翻修整理的房子, 或者可以轉賣, 或者可以自住 (又稱Sweat Equity: 以勞力為自備款之擁屋).  最好請contractor估價所須花費的整修成本. 如果整修費加上房子買價後的總成本,超過附近相似且已更新過的房子的市價, 請仔細考量這不見得是一個好的投資.

• 你必須知道房子的價值( The value of a house), 才能決定它的價錢. 影響房子價值的因素很多,很繁複: 地點 ,  屋況(condition), 更新 (improvement) ,市場供需, 經濟動態……. . 請Realtor幫你看Comps , 打一份 市場價格分析報告CMA( Comparative Market Analysis) ,它顯示了目前市場上正在賣的房子的要價(list price) ,以及已經賣掉的房子的售價(sales price). 要價相對於售價的比例顯示房子的價值. (Sales Price to List Price Ratio (SP/ LP).

2. Make Location Your First Consideration

地點為第一考量. 有一些訊息可以提供你判斷地點好壞的趨勢:

• 參考校區評鑑(School District Ratings): 評鑑下跌的校區可能預期此區域的衰退, 進而影響房價的穩定.

• 土地使用分區管制的改變(Zoning Changes). 超級商場（Big Box Store） 或商店的進駐影響週邊環境的安寧與交通流量, 進而對鄰近房市有負面的影響.

• 若您對某一區有興趣, 試著與附近的屋主聊聊天, 聽聽他們喜歡或不喜歡這區的哪些地方或原因. 和小孩去附近的playground, 圖書館,餐館或超級市場逛逛, 有助於你對這裡的人情文化有更清楚的感受和了解。　

• 這條街上, 若有多戶人家出租(除非是Ｍulti-family zone) 試著了解原因. 有時候是因為屋主已搬遷, 房子沒有賣出去, 而出租。　

對房價有正面影響的因素參考如下：

• 離大學院校,文化中心,高級購物中心, 或大型體育中心近的區域。　你會注意到在趨勢　往上的住宅區, 人們多願意花費在裝修或更新的投資上。　

• 年輕專業人士持續進住或上班工作的鄰近區域。　

• 房價穩定成長且存貨相對稀少的地區。

• 現在或許不是最好, 但有些都市計畫發展有利於末來需求量增加, 如：新的醫療中心或校區擴建等.。　

3.  Look Closely at the Schools in the Neighborhood

有時你會發現一條街之隔的房價有顯著的差異, 原因是因為它們落在不同的校區。　父母都想為子女找最好的學校。　理想學區的房子在經濟好時增值快，經濟不好時也較能支撐住價值。

最基本的原則是：Go for the best location you can afford.


校區查詢：


Boston Magazine School Rankings (2010)
Great School.Org




Next time: House styles & Terms 下期:美國房子的風格與種類

在對的方向上, 無懼地追求你的夢想

我收到Judy給我的Newsletter. 裡面有許多文章我很想分享給大家.

MIT 大門

Judy的父母在她六歲的時候移民來美國,  她像許多在我們周遭或身邊的小孩一樣 --- 在父母是移民或國際專業人士的家庭中成長.  一樣的不負期望, 完成最好的學歷成就,  一樣的歷經了跨文化教育下成長的優勢,  價值觀不同的適應與衝擊,  對自我傳承的調整與認同.

Judy深知亞洲移民在美國職場上必須歷經的挑戰.  

文化, 價值觀與思維模式是根深柢固地不同,  但是我們的民族性有許多令老闆們極為喜愛的特性 : 勤奮努力,  誠實勞靠, 所以我們更加地恆忍,  不間斷地進修,  強烈的渴望等下次主管考量升遷時, 你的資質才華,  可以被認同,  可以被”發掘”,  期望不會被埋沒.  但是這樣的期望值,  與美國社會所看重激賞的領袖才華,  常令人氣餒地,  確實存在有落差. 

我喜歡Judy爽朗的笑聲,   她在美國企業的資歷與見解,  讓她知道美國老闆要的是什麼,　她也擅於適時地激發你內在的渴望,  在對的方向上,  無懼地追求你的夢想。　

看看Judy 的 “Career Success: I Dare You! “ 能帶給你什麼幫助與啟發。　

更多其它的文章：　

Testing Personal Limits and Negotiables in Your Profession
 "...the question of how do we know when we've hit the boundaries of what is "comfortable and acceptable" for me?"

Sell Yourself into the Right Job: Know Your Potential Employer Like a "Life Partner"
"Think about how much research you do on a person (talking to others, reading that person, etc) so you can "show up" in an appealing way.  The job search "match game" is not that different..."

Opening Your World to the Experience of Difference
"As a corporate leader or university administrator, one must ask, "what is the price of not engaging the whole person"?  What is the price of cross-cultural employees perceiving themselves as being valued only on the basis of their technical work?"

What's LOVE Got To Do With It?
"To live in LOVE means we nurture our most heartfelt hopes and ideals while maintaining the toughness of steel to encounter the world on those terms, without reverting to the armor of logic and doing..."

Spring Into Your Highest Potential
"It's only with embracing their core strength that my clients can utilize the new tactical skills (communications or management) to develop to their fullest potential..". 

Preparing For Your Spring Blossom
"Once we own our uniqueness, it is through our persistent work of courage and optimism that our hopes will find its expression in the world..."

Helping International Students Acculturate at the Beginning of the Academic Year
"From the start, many students experience first hand our American expectation for personal choice and personal expression.  Whether it's about choosing a class, preparing for a class, participating in class or socializing, many are not used to the notion of personal choice, or what we may deem as self-initiative..."
Impatience with Waiting
"It seems our success in working incredibly hard to meet the surprising approval of our external world is the very thing that has kept us waiting...and waiting...before we dare to truly breathe our life..."

MLK, My Mother-in-Law, and the Freedom to Dream
"Through her stories of her past as well as of more recent years, I also understand how far we still have to go, to be able to live in a society where every person has true access to become their very best and live a life that is truly free and honored..."

From Dreambridge Partners /Judy