美國教師需要工資翻倍才能買得起房
SYDNEY LAKE
2024-08-16
在美國，教師僅能負擔14%的住房。圖片來源：GETTY IMAGES—ABLEIMAGES
美國大多數人買房越來越難，這是不爭的事實。隨著抵押貸款利率超過7%，房價持續上漲，對于大多數美國人來說，買房已變得十分困難，即使是滿懷希望、做出了最大犧牲的購房者也是如此。
事實上，教師的工資需要翻倍才能負擔得起美國的普通住宅。考慮到教師對學生的無私奉獻，他們的工資仍然嚴重偏低。根據Redfin今年春季發布的一份報告，美國教師的工資中位數略高于6.4萬美元，但美國人需要年收入超過11.3萬美元才能買得起一套中等價位的住房。而且沒有跡象表明房價會很快下降：根據Redfin的數據，每月抵押貸款還款額中位數比疫情前的水平高出了90%。
此外，根據Redfin周三發布的一份新報告，教師只能負擔得起學校通勤距離內14%的房屋。
Redfin的經濟學家們寫道："租房和買房的成本都接近歷史最高水平，但由于房價上漲相對較快、抵押貸款利率居高不下、可供選擇的房產短缺問題更為嚴重，因此在待售市場，負擔能力進一步惡化。”
許多教師在TikTok上也表達了同樣的觀點，即住房市場無論是在價格還是在供應方面都很緊張。一位教師稱自己的購房過程“有點尷尬，非常難堪，而且簡直令人慚愧”。
擁有超過16萬粉絲和1000多萬點贊的TikTok用戶@ms.guy說：“我接到電話，說我沒買到房子，原因是我沒有資格。購房過程的最新進展：結束了。盡快尋找住處的過程：仍在進行中。‘（我）只能租房了，因為目前對蓋伊女士來說買房是不可能實現的。’”
為什么教師買房這么難？
住房負擔能力問題的癥結在于教師工資的增長速度跟不上購房成本的上漲速度。馬里蘭大學（University of Maryland）建筑、規劃與保護學院房地產開發副教授杰西·薩吉諾（Jesse Saginor）告訴《財富》雜志，包括警察和消防員在內的其他公職人員也很難買到住房。
薩吉諾說："總的來說，工資跟不上住房成本的上漲速度，主要沿海城市的房價上漲速度要快得多。例如，佛羅里達州棕櫚灘縣的房屋價值中位數為493662美元，接近50萬美元。那里的教師工資中位數為42473美元。問題在于普遍缺乏負擔得起的住房。"
薩吉諾預計，教師的處境將進一步惡化。
薩吉諾說：“這是典型的教師工資跟不上住房成本上漲速度。對教師需求最大的地區可能也會有大量人口涌入，這將進一步增加對住房的需求，假設供應跟不上需求，住房價格將繼續上漲。”
不過，一些房屋建筑商和房地產開發商已經重視這個問題，開始建造價位較低的房屋。總部位于丹佛的Challenger Homes就是一個例子，該公司的新建住宅可立即入住，價格低至37萬美元。相比之下，根據美國人口普查局（U.S. Census Bureau）的數據，6月份售出的新房平均售價為48.72萬美元。Challenger Homes還推出一項名為“家鄉英雄購房福利”計劃，其中包括向教師、消防員、執法人員、醫生和護士提供2500美元信用額度，可用于新房設計或價格折扣。
Challenger Homes運營副總裁馬修·蘭金（Matthew Rankin）告訴《財富》雜志：Challenger Homes推出的計劃面向的是“消失的中間層”（即“那些沒有資格申請低收入住房，但可能難以負擔市場價住房的人”）。
不過，蘭金并不指望一夜之間就能扭轉局面。
蘭金說：“在短期內，教師的住房負擔能力仍將是重大挑戰。然而，看看9月份是否有可能出現降息，是否會導致利率下降，從而提高月供的可負擔性，這將是一個值得關注的問題。雖然這在一定程度上可以減輕一些人的經濟負擔，但也可能加劇購房者之間的競爭，使住房市場進一步復雜化。”（財富中文網）
譯者：中慧言-王芳
美國大多數人買房越來越難，這是不爭的事實。隨著抵押貸款利率超過7%，房價持續上漲，對于大多數美國人來說，買房已變得十分困難，即使是滿懷希望、做出了最大犧牲的購房者也是如此。
事實上，教師的工資需要翻倍才能負擔得起美國的普通住宅。考慮到教師對學生的無私奉獻，他們的工資仍然嚴重偏低。根據Redfin今年春季發布的一份報告，美國教師的工資中位數略高于6.4萬美元，但美國人需要年收入超過11.3萬美元才能買得起一套中等價位的住房。而且沒有跡象表明房價會很快下降：根據Redfin的數據，每月抵押貸款還款額中位數比疫情前的水平高出了90%。
此外，根據Redfin周三發布的一份新報告，教師只能負擔得起學校通勤距離內14%的房屋。
Redfin的經濟學家們寫道："租房和買房的成本都接近歷史最高水平，但由于房價上漲相對較快、抵押貸款利率居高不下、可供選擇的房產短缺問題更為嚴重，因此在待售市場，負擔能力進一步惡化。”
許多教師在TikTok上也表達了同樣的觀點，即住房市場無論是在價格還是在供應方面都很緊張。一位教師稱自己的購房過程“有點尷尬，非常難堪，而且簡直令人慚愧”。
擁有超過16萬粉絲和1000多萬點贊的TikTok用戶@ms.guy說：“我接到電話，說我沒買到房子，原因是我沒有資格。購房過程的最新進展：結束了。盡快尋找住處的過程：仍在進行中。‘（我）只能租房了，因為目前對蓋伊女士來說買房是不可能實現的。’”
為什么教師買房這么難？
住房負擔能力問題的癥結在于教師工資的增長速度跟不上購房成本的上漲速度。馬里蘭大學（University of Maryland）建筑、規劃與保護學院房地產開發副教授杰西·薩吉諾（Jesse Saginor）告訴《財富》雜志，包括警察和消防員在內的其他公職人員也很難買到住房。
薩吉諾說："總的來說，工資跟不上住房成本的上漲速度，主要沿海城市的房價上漲速度要快得多。例如，佛羅里達州棕櫚灘縣的房屋價值中位數為493662美元，接近50萬美元。那里的教師工資中位數為42473美元。問題在于普遍缺乏負擔得起的住房。"
薩吉諾預計，教師的處境將進一步惡化。
薩吉諾說：“這是典型的教師工資跟不上住房成本上漲速度。對教師需求最大的地區可能也會有大量人口涌入，這將進一步增加對住房的需求，假設供應跟不上需求，住房價格將繼續上漲。”
不過，一些房屋建筑商和房地產開發商已經重視這個問題，開始建造價位較低的房屋。總部位于丹佛的Challenger Homes就是一個例子，該公司的新建住宅可立即入住，價格低至37萬美元。相比之下，根據美國人口普查局（U.S. Census Bureau）的數據，6月份售出的新房平均售價為48.72萬美元。Challenger Homes還推出一項名為“家鄉英雄購房福利”計劃，其中包括向教師、消防員、執法人員、醫生和護士提供2500美元信用額度，可用于新房設計或價格折扣。
Challenger Homes運營副總裁馬修·蘭金（Matthew Rankin）告訴《財富》雜志：Challenger Homes推出的計劃面向的是“消失的中間層”（即“那些沒有資格申請低收入住房，但可能難以負擔市場價住房的人”）。
不過，蘭金并不指望一夜之間就能扭轉局面。
蘭金說：“在短期內，教師的住房負擔能力仍將是重大挑戰。然而，看看9月份是否有可能出現降息，是否會導致利率下降，從而提高月供的可負擔性，這將是一個值得關注的問題。雖然這在一定程度上可以減輕一些人的經濟負擔，但也可能加劇購房者之間的競爭，使住房市場進一步復雜化。”（財富中文網）
譯者：中慧言-王芳
It’s no secret it’s become increasingly difficult for most people to buy a home in the U.S. With mortgage rates above 7% and home prices continuing to rise, it’s challenging, in many cases, for the average American to buy a house—even hopeful homebuyers who make the greatest sacrifices.
In fact, teacher pay would need to nearly double in order for them to afford a typical home in the U.S. Considering the level of selflessness teachers dedicate to their students, they continue to be severely underpaid. The median U.S. teacher salary in the U.S. is just over $64,000, yet Americans need to earn an annual income of more than $113,000 to afford a median-priced home, according to a Redfin report released this spring. And there’s no sign those figures will fall anytime soon: The median monthly mortgage payment has increased a whopping 90% above pre-pandemic levels, according to Redfin.
What’s more, teachers can afford only 14% of homes within commuting distance from their school, according to a new Redfin report released Wednesday.
“The cost of both renting and buying are near record highs, but affordability is more strained in the for-sale market because prices are rising relatively quickly, mortgage rates remain elevated, and the shortage of available properties is more severe,” Redfin economists wrote.
Many teachers have shared on TikTok that same sentiment that the housing market is strained—both in terms of price and availability. One teacher called the homebuying process “a little awkward, very embarrassing, and completely humbling.”
“I got the call that I’m not getting the house. I didn’t qualify,” said TikTok user @ms.guy, who has more than 160,000 followers and over 10 million likes on her posts. “Final update on the home buying process: it’s over. Trying to find a place to live as soon as possible process: ongoing. ‘[I’ll] just rent because home buying is not for Ms. Guy right now.”
Why it’s so hard for teachers to buy a home
The crux of the housing affordability issue is teacher wages aren’t increasing enough to keep pace with the rising cost of buying a house. Other public workers, including police officers and firefighters, also struggle to buy a house, Jesse Saginor, an associate professor of real estate development at the University of Maryland’s School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, told Fortune.
“In general, wages have not kept up with the cost of housing, and major coastal metros have had home values increase far more quickly,” Saginor said. “For instance, the median home value in Palm Beach County, Fla., is $493,662, nearly half a million dollars. The median teacher salary [there] is $42,473. The issue is the general lack of affordable housing.”
And Saginor expects teachers’ situation to continue to worsen.
“The typical teacher salary has not kept up with the cost of housing,” Saginor said. “Areas that may have the most demand for teachers may also have an influx of population, which would also increase the demand for housing and, assuming that supply lags behind demand, would continue to make housing more expensive.”
However, some home builders and real estate developers have taken the issue to heart and are starting to build houses at lower price points. One example is Denver-based Challenger Homes, which has move-in ready new construction homes with prices as low as $370,000. By comparison, the average sales price of new houses sold in June was $487,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Challenger Homes also offers a program called Hometown Hero Homebuyer benefits, which includes a $2,500 credit available to teachers, firefighters, law enforcement officers, doctors, and nurses that can be used toward the design of the new home or a discount off its price.
Challenger Homes’ programming allows buyers in the “missing middle,” or “those who don’t qualify for low-income housing, but might struggle with the cost of market-rate homes,” Matthew Rankin, vice president of operations at Challenger Homes, told Fortune.
Still, Rankin doesn’t expect a turnaround overnight.
“The affordability of housing for teachers is likely to remain a significant challenge in the near term,” Rankin said. “However, it will be interesting to see if a potential rate cut in September could help decrease interest rates, which would make mortgage payments more affordable. While this could ease the financial burden for some, it might also increase competition among buyers, further complicating the housing market.”
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