美国二手房销量降至新低 创下1995年以来最差表现

美国全国地产经纪商协会称，2023年仅卖出了409万套房屋，这是自1995年以来的最低水平。与此同时，供应紧张导致房价进一步上涨，自2009年以来美国房价涨幅已超过40%。

Home sales in the US sank to the lowest in nearly 30 years, as a sharp rise in interest rates increased costs for buyers and persuaded many potential sellers with lower rates to stay put.

由于美国房贷利率大幅上涨增加了潜在买房者的购房成本，也劝退了很多以低息贷款购房的潜在卖房者，美国二手房销量降到了近30年来的最低点。

Just 4.09 million homes were purchased, the fewest since 1995, as tight supply pushed prices to a new record, the National Association of Realtors said.

美国全国地产经纪商协会称，2023年仅卖出了409万套房屋，这是自1995年以来的最低水平。与此同时，供应紧张进一步推高房价，导致房价纪录被刷新。

The organisation said it expected the market to improve in 2024. But it warned that affordability would remain an issue.

美国全国地产经纪商协会称，2024年市场有望改善，但是协会也警告称，房价过高仍将是一个棘手的问题。

The median sale price in 2023 climbed 1% over the year, to $389,800, according to the NAR.

协会称，2023年美国二手房中位价格上涨了1%，达到了389800美元。

The median price has jumped more than 40% since 2019, after a surge in prices during the pandemic.

自2019年疫情暴发以来，美国房价大幅攀升，二手房中位价格涨幅已经超过40%。

Lawrence Yun, economist at the NAR, said the recent price rises were "unsustainable" and that boosting supply to create a path towards homeownership for renters was "essential".

美国全国地产经纪商协会经济学家劳伦斯·尹表示，近期房价上涨的趋势是“不可持续的”，加大供应量从而让租户有机会拥有自己的住房“非常重要”。

The housing market in the US has slowed abruptly since 2022, when the Federal Reserve started raising interest rates in a bid to curb inflation.

美国房地产市场自2022年以来突然降温，当时美联储开始提高房贷利率来抑制通货膨胀。

Last year, US mortgage rates, which are typically fixed for a 30-year period, shot above 7% for the first time in decades. The moves ended a buying frenzy that had erupted during the pandemic.

去年，美国（30年）房贷利率一下子突破了7%，创下了几十年来的最高纪录。在疫情期间掀起的购房热潮就此画上了句号。

It has also created a stark divide between would-be buyers and existing homeowners, many of whom have loans with rates below 4% and would face sharply higher costs to move.

房贷利率飙升还在潜在购房者和现有房主之间形成了一道分水岭，很多以不到4%的贷款利率购得房屋的人如果要搬走将面临高得多的置换成本。

Mr Yun said he thought that December would mark the bottom of the market, noting that mortgage rates have dropped back in recent months, falling to 6.6% this week, the lowest level since May.

尹先生认为，12月应该是美国房地产市场的最低谷，他指出近几个月房贷利率已经回落，本周降至6.6%，这是自去年5月以来的最低水平。

The declines come as investors bet the central bank will start reversing course and cut rates later this year.

投资者预测美联储将开始转变政策方向，今年晚些时候将会下调房贷利率。

But Nancy Vanden Houten, lead US economist for Oxford Economics, said while that may help demand, rates are likely to remain above 6% - not enough to bring a substantial number of sellers into the market.

但是牛津经济研究院首席美国经济学家南希·范登·霍滕表示，房贷利率下调也许有助于提升购房需求，但是贷款利率很可能将保持在6%以上，不足以让大量卖房者入市。