Housing Prices Fall

Housing Prices Fall 14.1% in Sign of Continuing Slump

By VIKAS BAJAJ

Published: May 28, 2008

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/28/business/28home.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

The problem boils down to supply and demand. As the home-buying season — that annual rite of spring and early summer — enters what is traditionally its busiest period, there are simply too many homes in many parts of the country, and too few people with the means to buy them. The situation is likely to get worse because a rising tide of foreclosures is flooding the market with even more homes, while a slack economy and tight mortgage market are reducing the pool of potential buyers.

美国房价下跌14.1%

原因？

经济学最简单也是最基本的原理——供求关系。

春季及夏初是美国传统购房季节，今年却生意冷清。

供应方：全国各地有太多待售房屋。
需求方：没什么人真正有购房意愿。

情况可能更糟：由于前几年地产泡沫，近期还会有大量新房涌入市场。而美国目前经济衰退，次贷危机都会影响购房人群。


————中国房市目前高企不下（京沪），也许今年就是拐点。
前几年上马的项目纷纷落成，而房价及利息都很高，购房者有心无力，供需矛盾将逐步凸现出来。

Basic economics would suggest that lower prices should increase demand, but if buyers expect that prices will be lower still they will wait.

一般而言，降价能够刺激购买，但是另一方面，买涨不买落，越是在降价的时候，买家越会期待更低的价格。