BUYING A HOME購屋置產

If you use your head, owning a home should be very satisfying

如果能多動動腦筋，擁有自宅應該是非常令人心滿意足的

With a new baby on the way, Ben and Sandy Johnson have decided to look for a new home. Ben asks Uncle Bob, his mentor, for advice on real estate.

Uncle Bob: Hey, Ben, I heard you’re having a baby. Congratulations!

Ben: Thanks, Uncle Bob. The baby won’t arrive for another few months, but Sandy and I are already busy. We’ve also been contemplating your 3 R’s – retirement, real estate and raising children – but especially real estate.

Uncle Bob: It’s good to hear you’re planning ahead. Be careful though. Real estate can be more complicated than you think. Are you interested in buying a home or an investment property?

Ben: Ideally, I guess we’d like a home that’s also a great investment. Why?

Uncle Bob: Having a family home is important. But deciding if a property is a good investment can be very problematic.

Uncle Bob: It really comes down to understanding the cost of ownership and the rate of return the investment will give you.

Ben: So you’re saying we should focus on the price of the house?

Uncle Bob: Sort of. When you buy an asset like a stock, you only need to consider the purchase price. But owning property means you also have an obligation to pay for things like maintenance expenses and property taxes. Those things are the costs of ownership. The rate of return is basically the difference between all the money you put into an investment and the money you get out of it.

【Chat room】

real estate 不可數名詞片語

a piece of real estate

property 可數／不可數名詞

I have property. 我擁有不動產

I have three properties. 我擁有三筆不動產

地產 land 不可數，所以用piece來表示

He has several pieces of property in the country.

他在鄉下有幾筆地產

【Key word】

Contemplate (v)考慮、思量

problematic 造成困難、產生問題的

obligation 義務、責任

Ben: We have enough for a down payment on a small house, but we will definitely need a loan too. What should we know about mortgages?

Uncle Bob: The big advantage of mortgages is that they let you own a house without paying all the money up front. Most lenders also amortize your loan so you can pay it off in installments.

Ben: What’s the downside?

Uncle Bob: Most mortgages are secured by using your property as collateral. That’s why a lender can take your house through foreclosure if you default – or don’t pay back your loan in a timely manner.

Uncle Bob: But the main disadvantage of a mortgage is the interest you pay on the loan.

Ben: How much will that cost?

Uncle Bob: It depends on the type of loan you have. Interest rates can change over time if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage. So the amount of money you pay also changes. If you have a fixed-rate mortgage your payments are “fixed” at a certain interest rate.

Ben: Wow, real estate is more complicated than I thought.

Uncle Bob: Investing in property isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible, either. If you do some research and use your head, I think you’ll find home ownership a profoundly rewarding experience.

profoundly à extremely, deeply

【Grammar on the go】

That’s why a lender can take your house through foreclosure if you default – or don’t pay back your loan in a timely manner.

timelyàat the right or acceptable time

mannerà a way of doing something

in a way that is at the right time

 I appreciate you for always getting things done in a timely manner.

As long as Tim finishes his chores in a timely manner, he is allowed to go out and play.

【Chat room】

brain

use your brain (不是很有禮貌) à use your head (較含蓄)

a no-brainer 想都不用想，答案太明顯了

【Key word】

up front 預付、先付

The owner of the car wants the money up front or he won’t sell the car.

The tutor wants her fee up front. 這個家教要預先付學費

up front事先告知

The trainer warned us of the risks of this kind training up front.

訓練員在訓練前就先告知我們這種訓練的風險

installment 分期付款

in installments

We paid for our computer in installments.

Alan bought the stereo system in twelve-monthly installments.

Alan用十二個月分期付款的方式買這台音響

secure 抵押、提供保證

The Robertson’s bank loan is secured by their house.

Robertson夫妻的銀行貸款是用房子抵押的

The teenage boy’s car loan was secured by his parents.

這個青少年的車子貸款是他父母親作擔保的

mortgage (n)抵押借款 (v)抵押

amortise (v)分期償還

downside (n)不利

collateral (n)擔保品、抵押品

foreclosure (n)【律】(抵押人)回贖權的取消