有些人马上就把房子和抵押贷款都抛在了一边,也有些人只是停止缴纳月供,直到银行把他们从房子里踢出去。这样,他们就释放了现金,可以用在别的方面。
Some are leaving behind their homes and mortgages right away, while others are simply halting payments until the bank kicks them out. That's freeing up cash to use in other ways.
里奇的五口之家用其中一部分钱买了迪斯尼乐园的季票,并计划明年3月份去墨西哥参加狂欢节之游。费尔南德兹则可以更多地请女友下馆子吃饭。里奇说,我们省下很多钱。
Ms. Richey's family of five used some of the money to buy season tickets to Disneyland, and plans to take a Carnival cruise to Mexico in March. Mr. Fernandez takes his girlfriend out to dinner more frequently. 'We're saving lots of money,' Ms. Richey says.
美国的住房自有率创下了二十多年来的最大降幅,截至9月份已经从2004年的峰值69.2%降至67.6%。此外,还会出现更多租房住的人:信贷公司Experian和咨询公司Oliver Wyman预测,那些有能力支付月供、却选择“战略性违约”的房主2009年可能会超过100万人,较2007年的水平高出3倍多。
The U.S home-ownership rate has charted its biggest decline in more than two decades, falling to 67.6% as of September from a peak of 69.2% in 2004. And more renters are on the way: Credit firm Experian and consulting firm Oliver Wyman forecast that 'strategic defaults' by homeowners who can afford to pay are likely to exceed one million in 2009, more than four times 2007's level.
违约对人们的信用不利,对银行也不利。越来越多的违约可能也意味着纳税人会因救助银行而蒙受更多的损失。
Stiffing the bank is bad for peoples' credit, and bad for banks. Swelling defaults could also mean more losses for taxpayers through bank bailouts.