经济学人39:在美国,买卖房子怎么就这么贵?

 　　Business

　　商业

　　American property

　　美国房市

　　The great realtor rip-off

　　房地产经纪人大敲竹杠

　　Why is it so expensive to buy or sell a house in America?

　　在美国，买卖房子怎么就这么贵？

　　IN BRITAIN, if you want to sell your home, an estate agent will list the property, find a buyer, help you negotiate a deal and guide you through the transaction, all for a commission of 2-3% of the sale price. In America, realtors provide the same services for roughly double the fee.

　　在英国，如果你想卖掉自己的房子，房地产中介就会列好财产清单，找买家，帮你达成协议并指引你完成交易，做这么多只为赚取房屋售价2-3%的佣金。而在美国，房地产经纪人提供同样的服务，却要两倍的价格。

　　Are they worth it? The shouty realtors in David Mamet's film Glengarry Glen Ross (pictured) certainly think so. ("[My] watch costs more than your car…that's who I am.") Others disagree. Chang-Tai Hsieh of the University of Chicago finds that American property brokers² cause "social waste" of $8 billion a year via overcharging and inefficiency³.

　　这个高价真有所值吗？David Mamet的电影《拜金一族》中大吵大闹的房地产中介（见图片）肯定认为值。（"[我]的表比你的车都贵，这就证明了我的身价。"）他人却不这么认为。芝加哥大学的谢长泰发现，美国房地产经纪人的高收费和低效率引发的一年80亿美元的"社会浪费"。

　　Economists⁴ are baffled. The internet has squelched⁵ inefficient⁶ middlemen in other industries, from insurance brokers to travel agents. Why not American realtors? Although scores of discount brokers and for-sale-by-owner websites have sprouted⁷ up, traditional full-service realtors have somehow maintained their market share of 80% without reducing fees.

　　经济学家有些摸不着头脑。互联网已经消除了从保险业到旅行业等其他行业的混日子的中介。可是为什么这些行业中没有美国的房地产界？虽然贴现经纪人人数和for-sale-by-owner网站的点击率不断蹿升，传统的全包式服务中介在不减少佣金的情况下仍保持了80%的市场份额。

　　The business used to operate like a series of local cartels. In a typical area, a handful of brokers controlled a shared database of available homes, and limited their cheaper rivals' access to those listings. In 2008 in the United States and 2010 in Canada, regulators struck deals with realtors to open up these databases. Yet since then the average commission has actually risen, from 5.0% in 2005 to 5.4% in 2011, according to REAL Trends, a research firm.

　　该行业以前的经营模式就像当地垄断联盟组织。在典型的地区，一群中介控制了闲置住房的数据库，并避免出低价的对手得到这些数据。在2008年的美国和2010年的加拿大，监管人士没能和中介们达成一致公开他们的数据库。而从那以后，平均佣金就从2005年的5%涨到2011年的5.4%，研究机构REAL Trends表示。

　　Why are high fees so persistent⁸? One counterintuitive theory is that America's housing bust⁹ has buoyed¹⁰ them. Selling a home is easy when prices are rising. But when financing dries up and volumes dip, sellers may need an agent's expertise¹¹ and energetic marketing¹² to find a buyer.

　　为什么手续费高居不下？一个反常理的理论是美国的房屋业的低迷反倒振奋了房地产中介。房价上涨的时候是卖房的好时期。但是由于资金短缺，待售房数量减少，卖家可能需要中介的经验和充满活力的营销手段来找到买家。

　　Never give a sucker an even break

　　绝不能轻易放过一个傻瓜

　　Another theory is that clients are suckers. Agents routinely tell buyers not to worry about the fat commission because "the seller pays it." Meanwhile, they tell sellers not to worry because they will jack¹³ up the price of the home to cover it. According to Steve Murray of REAL Trends, two-thirds of clients choose an agent because of a prior personal relationship or referral. They may be reluctant to haggle¹⁴ with realtors to whom they have social ties.

　　另一个理论是客户都是傻瓜。中介经常告诉买家不要担心高昂的佣金，因为"卖家付这些钱"。同时，他们告诉卖家不用担心，因为他们会把佣金加在房屋售价里。据REAL Trends的Steve Murray称，三分之二的客户选择中介是因为有私交或是受人推荐。他们可能也不愿意和与他们有人际交往的中介讨价还价。

　　A third theory is that the industry is less competitive than it looks. In most areas a few big brokers handle most transactions. They set high fees, which lure¹⁵ ever more people into the profession: between 1998 and 2005 the number of members of America's National Association of Realtors grew by 67%. These agents waste time competing with each other for the exclusive right to sell each home, sapping productivity. According to Norm Miller¹⁶ of the University of San Diego, an average agent in Britain closes 40-50 deals a year, compared with just seven in America.

　　第三种理论是房地产行业并不像想象的那样竞争激烈。在大部分地区，少数大型的经纪商掌控大部分交易。他们定高手续费，引诱更多的人进入该行业：在1998年到2005年之间，美国房产经纪人协会的成员数上涨了67%。这些中介机构浪费时间，彼此竞争卖掉每个房屋的经手权使行业生产力走向衰竭。根据圣迭戈大型的Norm Miller称，英国一所普通的房屋中介一年经手40-50个交易，而美国的一年平均只有7个。

　　Cynics say the industry has captured its regulators. The property commissions of American states are usually made up of brokers. Perhaps this is why many states have banned commission rebates¹⁷-a form of discounting-or set up "minimum-service" standards that stop brokers offering fewer services for less money.

　　愤世嫉俗的人称该行业俘获了它的监管者。美国房地产业佣金一般是给中介经纪人的。也许这就是为什么许多州禁止了佣金回扣——一种折扣形式——或是设立"最低限服务"标准以阻止经纪人少服务少挣钱的原因。

　　The biggest cause, however, is probably the interdependent nature of the business. Since both the buyer and seller are represented by agents in most transactions, brokers must collaborate¹⁸ to close deals at the same time as they compete for listings. Buyers' agents have an incentive¹⁹ only to show their clients homes whose sellers offer them a standard 3% commission.

　　然而，最主要的原因大概是该行业相互依赖的本性。由于在大多数交易中买方和卖方都有经纪人，而经纪人必须在互相竞争得到房屋资产数据的同时协作达成交易。当房屋卖家给他们提供3%的佣金时，买方的经纪人才向他们客户展示代售房屋。

　　To solve this problem, many sellers' agents offer to cut their own fee while still offering the full price to the buyer's agent. Alas²⁰, word soon spreads that they are giving rebates. That makes many buyers' agents steer²¹ their clients elsewhere-either in solidarity²² with full-service brokers or because they fear a discounter will leave them with the lion's share of the work.

　　为解决这一问题，许多卖家的代理商削减自己的佣金同时仍向买方中介报全价。这样的话，马上就有谣言传他们给了回扣。这就使许多的买方中介把客户带到其他的地方看房子——或是与提供全包服务的中介团结一致，或是因为他们害怕贴现会给他们惹上大部分的交易工作。

　　Such stealth discrimination is hard to prove: buyers' agents can always say they ignored a listing because it did not meet their client's needs. But Colby Sambrotto, the founder²³ of ForSaleByOwner.com and USRealty.com, a discount broker¹, says that after trying to sell his own home in New York by himself, he was forced to hire an agent to get it shown to potential buyers.

　　现在还很难证明这种隐形歧视的存在：买家的代理商可以永远称他们忽略财产清单是因为其并没有满足客户的需求。但是ForSaleByOwner.com和USRealty.com网站的创始人Colby Sambrotto称，在自己尝试卖掉位于纽约的房产后，他不得不雇一个中介向潜在买家展示房子。

　　Such retaliation²⁴ is hardly universal: Mr Sambrotto says it was a "regular exception rather than the rule" for his firm's clients in most markets. But because discounters need to make up for lower commissions with higher volumes, even a small amount of discrimination is often enough to drive them out of business. The demise²⁵ of the 6% commission may still be inevitable²⁶. But for now, it seems a long way off.

　　这样的报复心理并不是普遍的：Sambrotto称对于他公司的各个市场的客户来说，与其说是规则，不如说是"正规的例外"。但是由于折现需要用更高的数额弥补较低的佣金，就算是小丁点的歧视都足以把他们赶出这个行业。6%佣金时代的终结可能仍是不可避免的。但是就现在来说，仍是长路漫漫。

1 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

2 brokers   

n.（股票、外币等）经纪人( broker的名词复数 )；中间人；代理商；（订合同的）中人v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的第三人称单数 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• The firm in question was Alsbery & Co., whiskey brokers. 那家公司叫阿尔斯伯里公司，经销威士忌。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• From time to time a telephone would ring in the brokers' offices. 那两排经纪人房间里不时响着叮令的电话。 来自子夜部分

3 inefficiency   

n.无效率，无能；无效率事例

参考例句：

• Conflict between management and workers makes for inefficiency in the workplace. 资方与工人之间的冲突使得工厂生产效率很低。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This type of inefficiency arises because workers and management are ill-equipped. 出现此种低效率是因为工人与管理层都能力不足。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 squelched   

v.发吧唧声，发扑哧声( squelch的过去式和过去分词 )；制止；压制；遏制

参考例句：

• We squelched over the soggy ground. 我们咕唧咕唧地走过泥泞的土地。
• The mud squelched as I walked through it. 我扑哧扑哧地穿过泥泞。

6 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

7 sprouted   

v.发芽( sprout的过去式和过去分词 )；抽芽；出现；（使）涌现出

参考例句：

• We can't use these potatoes; they've all sprouted. 这些土豆儿不能吃了，都出芽了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The rice seeds have sprouted. 稻种已经出芽了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

9 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。

10 buoyed   

v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神

参考例句：

• Buoyed by their win yesterday the team feel confident of further success. 在昨天胜利的鼓舞下，该队有信心再次获胜。
• His encouragement buoyed her up during that difficult period. 他的鼓励使她在那段困难时期恢复了乐观的情绪。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

12 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

13 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

14 haggle   

vi.讨价还价，争论不休

参考例句：

• In many countries you have to haggle before you buy anything.在许多国家里买东西之前都得讨价还价。
• If you haggle over the price,they might give you discount.你讲讲价，他们可能会把价钱降低。

15 lure   

n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引

参考例句：

• Life in big cities is a lure for many country boys.大城市的生活吸引着许多乡下小伙子。
• He couldn't resist the lure of money.他不能抵制金钱的诱惑。

16 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

17 rebates   

n.退还款( rebate的名词复数 )；回扣；返还（退还的部份货价）；折扣

参考例句：

• The VAT system offers advantages, such as rebates on exports. 增值税有其优点，如对出口商品实行回扣。 来自辞典例句
• In more recent years rate rebates have been introduced for households. 近年地方税的减免已适用于家庭。 来自辞典例句

18 collaborate   

vi.协作，合作；协调

参考例句：

• The work gets done more quickly when we collaborate.我们一旦合作，工作做起来就更快了。
• I would ask you to collaborate with us in this work.我们愿意请你们在这项工作中和我们合作。

19 incentive   

n.刺激；动力；鼓励；诱因；动机

参考例句：

• Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中，钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
• He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。

20 alas   

int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等)

参考例句：

• Alas!The window is broken!哎呀！窗子破了！
• Alas,the truth is less romantic.然而，真理很少带有浪漫色彩。

21 steer   

vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶

参考例句：

• If you push the car, I'll steer it.如果你来推车，我就来驾车。
• It's no use trying to steer the boy into a course of action that suits you.想说服这孩子按你的方式行事是徒劳的。

22 solidarity   

n.团结；休戚相关

参考例句：

• They must preserve their solidarity.他们必须维护他们的团结。
• The solidarity among China's various nationalities is as firm as a rock.中国各族人民之间的团结坚如磐石。

23 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

24 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

25 demise   

n.死亡；v.让渡，遗赠，转让

参考例句：

• He praised the union's aims but predicted its early demise.他赞扬协会的目标，但预期这一协会很快会消亡。
• The war brought about the industry's sudden demise.战争道致这个行业就这么突然垮了。

26 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。