某些国外投资者可能会认为被银行没收的物业（distressed property）具有巨大的投资价值，有些人以为可以在不到五年的时间里将这些物业倒手，并从中获大的利润，但这么做并非易事。 图片：CBC/Radio-Canada特允大中报使用。


在2011年，华裔郭女士以$110,000元的价格在佛罗里达州东北部购买了一套公寓，然后将其出租给当地大学生。郭通过在加拿大的开户行用自己的住房进行再融资，以现金购买了这套公寓。

In 2011, Grace Guo, a Chinese Canadian bought a condo unit in NE Florida for $110,000, which has been rented out to the local university students. Guo purchased the property with cash by refinancing her residential home through her home branch in Canada.

 

通过每月$1100元的租金收入，郭可以抵消包括按揭贷款、维修费和管理费在内的成本。郭表示：“我预期物业价值将会上涨，最终能实现一定的投资收益。”

Through $1100 monthly rental income, Guo can balance out the costs that include mortgage, maintenance and management fees. “I expect that the property value will go up eventually so that I can enjoy some investment income,” says Guo.

 

与郭在佛州购房类似，多伦多的张素在奥兰多购买了一套公寓，其租金收入除了足以支付成本支出之外，还可以为她提供每年两个星期的休假。刚于一月份在公寓度假一个星期的张称：“这时是在那里度假的最好时机。”

Similar to Guo, Torontonian Su Zhang bought a condo unit in Orlando, which, on top of rental income that could cover her costs, also offered her two weeks of vacation time a year. “It was a great time of getting down there,” says Zhang, who just spent a week on vacation in Jan.  

 

以度假天堂著称的佛罗里达州又称阳光之州，连接墨西哥湾和大沼泽地，其以美丽的海滩、游乐公园和多姿多彩的环境气候闻名于世。美国的经济危机导致佛罗里达州房地产市场的销量和房价遭受沉重打击。从2005至2010年，独立屋的销量下降31%，房价下跌42%。

Known as a vacation paradise, Florida, referred to as Sunshine State, is famous for its beautiful beaches, amusement parks and a diverse environment, where the Gulf of Mexico meets the Everglades.  Resulting from the economic meltdown, housing prices and sales in the Florida real estate market suffered a hard blow. Between 2005 and 2010, single family sales declined 31% while average prices declined 42%.

 

佛罗里达州杰克逊维尔的Watson Realty Corp公司房地产经纪人豪威尔称：“在顶峰时期的售价曾高达$30万元左右的物业，目前价位仅为$15万元。”

“During the peak years, some properties in the $150,000 price range today were sold at around $300, 000,” says Missi Howell, a realtor with Watson Realty Corp in Jacksonville, Florida.

 

据在佛罗里达州东南部出售物业的房地产经纪人Alipo介绍，目前当地的市场价格比2005年低$10万元左右。

And according to Alipo, a realtor who sells property in SE Florida, market prices there are about $100,000 lower than back in 2005.

 

佛罗里达低挫的楼价使国外买家蜂拥而至，他们看准了比本土便宜许多的佛州地产值。根据佛罗里达州房地产经纪协会的一份报告，在外国买家购买的美国住宅中，有31%是位于佛罗里达州，而佛州的25%的物业是出售给外国买主。

The decline in property prices has attracted an influx of international buyers, who consider these properties to be less expensive than those in their home country.  According to a report by Florida Realtors, 31% of U.S. residential homes sold to the foreign buyers were in Florida, where foreign buyers purchased 25% of properties sold.

 

Watson Realty Corp.公司的房地产经纪豪威尔表示：“目前在美国购买物业很容易，因为楼价相对便宜，通常会被认为是可靠的投资。”

“It’s easy to purchase properties in the U.S. as it’s relatively inexpensive, and generally considered a sound investment,” says Missi Howell, a realtor with Watson Realty Corp.

 

据该报告称，有23%的外国买家认为佛罗里达州的物业是可获利的投资，同时有12%的人认为这是安全的投资。

23% of foreign buyers view Florida properties as a profitable investment while 12% say it’s a secure investment, according to the report.

 

买家是谁？

Who are the buyers?

 

领导国外购买潮流的是同时将此举视为利用加元升值良机的加国人士。加国人士占所有外国买家的39%，其中大部分人都像郭和张一样选择购买公寓，只有不到三分之一的人购买独立屋。对于大多数加拿大人来说，海滩地区更具吸引力，有不到一半的加拿大人在度假区购买物业。

Leading the foreign buyers’ trend are Canadians who also see it as an opportunity to take advantage of the exchange rate between the dollar and the greenback. Accounted for 39% of all foreign buyers, the majority of Canadian buyers like Guo and Zhang chose condo units, and less than a third bought detached homes. For most Canadians, beach areas are the most desirable, as less than half of Canadians bought properties in resort areas.

 

豪威尔表示：“近海且附近有高尔夫球场和网球场的度假胜地的物业，也就越容易频繁出租。”

“The closer to the ocean and the resort atmosphere, such as golf courses and tennis courts, the easier for the property to be rented out frequently,” says Howell.

 

外国买家还倾向于购买价格较高的物业，但是加国人士购买的物业位价相对较低。2011年，外国买家购买的物业的中位价约为$17.4万元，高于佛罗里达州所有物业的中位价，但是加拿人士购买的物业中位价为$151,500元。

Foreign buyers also tend to buy more expensive homes, but Canadians buy properties at a lower median price. In 2011, the median price of properties purchased by foreign buyers was about $174,000, higher than that of all Florida properties, whereas the median price of homes bought by Canadians was $151,500.

 

由于美国收紧对投资性物业的按揭贷款，大部分加国人士都是以现金购屋。佛州地产经纪公司的报告称，有91%的加国人士支付现金，无需按揭贷款。

And most Canadian buyers paid down cash, resulting from tightened mortgage rules for investment properties. According to the report, 91% of Canadian buyers paid in cash without mortgage financing. 

 

豪威尔称：“国外买主在很难获得美国银行融资，因为当地银行一般不会为以投资为目的的买家提供贷款。许多加国人士都是在本国获得融资，然后再到美国用现金交易购买。”

“Foreign buyers have difficulty in getting financing from the U.S. banks, where lending is not for investment purposes. Many Canadians get financing from the home country and trading that transaction in the U.S. as a cash purchase,” says Howell.

 

有四分之一的外国买家将物业两用，既作度假屋又当出租物业。据佛州报告称，几乎有一半的加拿大买家打算每年使用物业3至6个月，这表明业主可能会在剩余的时间将物业出租。

And a quarter of foreign buyers used the property for dual purposes -- both as a vacation home and rental property. According to the report, almost half of the Canadian buyers plan to use the property three to six months a year – indicating that the owner may rent out the property for the rest of the year. 

 

佛罗里达州东南部的房地产经纪人Joan Alipo表示：“有许多喜欢公寓的加国物业买家出于投资和度假的双重目的而置业。许多加国人士尚未退休……他们旨在寻求可能的租金收入。在旺季时，租金收入可高达每月$3000元左右，但是在淡季时，租金收入会下降一半。”