VOA标准英语2015--香港购房者放眼国外

Outpriced, Hong Kong Home Buyers Look Abroad 香港购房者放眼国外

HONG KONG—

In Hong Kong, one of the world’s most expensive property markets, housing prices have doubled since 2009.

Chris Parker, who has lived here for seven years says housing costs are a cause for worry.

“This is where I want to be now.  I certainly don’t want to go back to the UK," he said. "So I don’t see me ever leaving Hong Kong per se, but I do feel that there will come a point where I am struggling to find a place to live either here or in some other place.  I might have to make a change in location.”

Last year, home prices surged a record 13 percent.  A 100 square-meter apartment in the center of town has an average cost of $2.3 million.  Earlier this year, the government took measures to cool the market for fear that an influx¹ of mainland Chinese buyers may be inflating² prices - creating a bubble.

Buyers of properties valued up to $902,000 must make larger down payments, and mortgage rules for second-home purchases have been tightened³. Those measures and a cooling economy in China have some property analysts⁴ predicting a crash in Hong Kong real estate, but others anticipate just a market slow down.    

Joseph Tsang Hon-Ping, managing director of real estate investment company Jones Lang LaSalle, says the government's measures have helped prevent a bubble, in part because buyers can't overload⁵ on debt.

“When people talk about bubbles they always talk about 1997, that was 15 or 16 years ago.  At the time the interest rate was roughly around 13 percent," he noted⁶. "Today we’re talking about 2 percent.  That’s a big difference.  The second thing is the loan-to-mortgage ratio. The amount that you can borrow for mortgages is down to 40 or 50 percent, meaning that it’s a very low debt situation, Hong Kong.”

But the high prices are inspiring some people to invest abroad.  Swire Properties, a Hong Kong property developer, recently offered Hong Kong buyers properties it has built in Miami, Florida.

“South Beach [in Miami] is the number one beach in America, and it has over 50 skyscrapers⁷ currently being built today," explained Maile Aguila, of Swire Properties. "It also houses one of the largest art deco collections and sport franchises⁸ such as the Miami Heat, the Dolphins, the Marlins and the Panthers.”

Many of the Miami apartments are on sale for less than $1 million, and, for Hong Kong buyers, that is a bargain.

1 influx   

n.流入，注入

参考例句：

• The country simply cannot absorb this influx of refugees.这个国家实在不能接纳这么多涌入的难民。
• Textile workers favoured protection because they feared an influx of cheap cloth.纺织工人拥护贸易保护措施，因为他们担心涌入廉价纺织品。

2 inflating   

v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的现在分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• I felt myself inflating slowly with rage, like a tyre. 我感到自己体内的怒气正慢慢膨胀，像一只轮胎那样。 来自互联网
• Many are already overheating, with prices rising and asset bubbles inflating. 随着物价日益上涨、资产泡沫膨胀，很多新兴国家经济已经过热。 来自互联网

3 tightened   

收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• The rope holding the boat suddenly tightened and broke. 系船的绳子突然绷断了。
• His index finger tightened on the trigger but then relaxed again. 他的食指扣住扳机，然后又松开了。

4 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

5 overload   

vt.使超载；n.超载

参考例句：

• Don't overload the boat or it will sink.别超载，否则船会沉。
• Large meals overload the digestive system.吃得太饱会加重消化系统的负担。

6 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

7 skyscrapers   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• A lot of skyscrapers in Manhattan are rising up to the skies. 曼哈顿有许多摩天大楼耸入云霄。
• On all sides, skyscrapers rose like jagged teeth. 四周耸起的摩天大楼参差不齐。

8 franchises   

n.（尤指选举议员的）选举权( franchise的名词复数 )；参政权；获特许权的商业机构（或服务）；（公司授予的）特许经销权v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder. 电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ford dealerships operated as independent franchises. 福特汽车公司的代销商都是独立的联营商。 来自辞典例句