$1 dollar for a house in Detroit?

Only $1 dollar for a house in Detroit?

底特律的便宜房现在正被炒得如火如荼,甚至有些低端的房产开价只要1美元,需求颇为旺盛.但是房地产中介告诫说,在头脑发热把钱投到买便宜房子之前,要先做一些调查以免今后碰到意想不到的麻烦.

Detroit bargain properties are hot right now, with low-end homes being listed for as little as $1 dollar and demand is intense. But real estate agents caution that it's worthwhile to do some research before plunking down any money on these homes to avoid unexpected complications.

很少有人能像阿尔伯特•哈基姆那样了解底特律的房地产,他的专长就是房地产买卖.他自信自己手里拥有的低于1000美元的房地产是当地最多的.

Few people know this as well as Albert Hakim. The Metro Detroit-based realtor specializes in real estate-owned properties. Hakim believes he handles more of these bargain homes listed under $1,000 than any other realtor in Michigan.

尽管当前底特律的房地产正吸引着大量海外投资者的目光,但是哈基姆表示外国人和外地人在购买底特律房地产时,往往对房地产交易的复杂性知之甚少.他说,"他们太天真了！"

Despite the high level of interest from abroad, Hakim said foreigners and other outsiders are often clueless about the complexities of buying a home in Detroit. "They're so naive!" he said.

他还说,很多潜在的投资者忽视了购买这些便宜房子的总费用.一些房子的售价可能只有1美元或者100美元,但是最后买房者付的钱要远远大于这个数字.因为买房者的花费还包括城市检查、房产税和其他一些费用,全部费用加在一起会让这些房子的价格飙升到上千美元.除此之外,这些便宜房子可能还需要大规模的翻新、重新铺设管道、电线等,这些费用又会把房子的总价抬高.

He added that many potential buyers are ignorant of the total costs involved in buying distressed properties. While a home might be listed for $1 or $100, Hakim said in reality buyers end up paying quite a lot more. Costs associated with city inspections, property taxes and other fees can raise the total price of a bargain home to the low thousands. Such homes may also require extensive reconstruction, new plumbing, electrical rewiring and other work that adds more to the final tab.

词语解释：

如火如荼 （rúhuǒrútú） hot; growing vigorously

告诫 （gàojiè） caution

天真 （tiānzhēn） naive

房产税 （fángchǎn shuì） property taxes

(Source: myechinese.com)