不靠父母資助，倫敦買房是夢嗎？

You might remember a few weeks ago the advice given by estate agent Strutt and Parker: If we give up on ‘luxuries’ like sandwiches and going out with friends, we could get on the property ladder in a mere five years.

你也許還記得，房地產經紀人斯圖拉特及帕克在幾周前給出的建議：如果我們放棄如三明治及“與朋友出去浪”這樣的奢侈品，僅僅需要五年時間，我們就能爬上房產階梯。

While eating gruel for lunch and forgoing a social life for half a decade doesn’t seem ideal, maybe it’s not so bad if you get a house at the end of it.

午餐只吃燕麥粥，也無社交可言的五年時間聽起來也許索然無味，但是熬過這樣的五年換來一個房子，這樣一想也許就不那麼糟了。

What Strutt and Parker failed to mention, however, is that even if you do live the life of an ascetic, you’ll still need your parents to chip in about £30,000.

然而，斯圖拉特和帕克沒有提到的是，即便你確實過上了禁慾生活，你也還是需要父母3,0000英鎊的資助。

But there’s quite a few of us out here whose parents can’t afford to add a cool 30k to our kitty. But, does that mean there’s no hope for those us not blessed with wealthy family?

但是我們中不少人，並不擁有這樣的父母—可以輕鬆地往我們的存錢罐裏塞進3,0000塊的父母。但這是否意味着沒有富裕家庭庇佑的人就毫無希望了呢？

My mum and dad bought a house in Greater London when they were in their twenties, living on the salaries of a decorator and an administrator. They had to save, of course, but were able to do so while still affording rent, not to mention the costs of raising two kids.

我的父母在他們二十幾歲時，在大倫敦買了房子。他們一個是室內裝飾師，一個是管理員。當然，他們不得不節省。在承擔房租及撫養兩個孩子的同時，他們確實做到了。

That seems like an impossible dream nowadays, but surely – SURELY – there must be a way to get on the property ladder. So what you’d actually need to do to get those coveted first-home keys?

現如今，這聽起來像天方夜譚，但是肯定—絕對—一定有辦法爬上房產階梯。所以要怎麼做才能拿到夢寐以求的首套房鑰匙呢？

First thing’s first, you need to be earning a salary that’ll allow you to save in the first place. Recent results from job websites put the average in the capital at around £35,000.

頭等大事—首先你需要一份能夠存得下錢的薪水。求職網的最近結果顯示，首都的平均年薪在3,5000英鎊左右。

Of course, averages can’t show everybody’s situation, but let’s assume that’s your wage. That puts your take-home pay at £2,256 a Month, but bear in mind that this doesn’t include pension contributions or student loan repayments.

當然，平均數不能體現每個人的實際情況。但是我們假設這就是你的收入。算下來，你每月到手2256英鎊，但記住其中不包括養老金交款和學生貸款償還額。

If you can’t stay with family, you likely have to pay for rent, which varies from £530 to £1,346 a month for a room. Let’s say you’re paying £600 – which leaves you with £1,656 to play with.

如果你不和家人一起住，你就還得付房租，一間房月租在530到1346英鎊不等。假設你的房租是600英鎊，於是一個月剩餘金額是1656英鎊。

Next, remove £155 for utilities, £22 for internet, and £139 for transport (these are all figures taken from Expatistan). According to Money Advice Service, Londoners spend £230 on food.

接下來，除去155英鎊公共設施費用、22英鎊網絡費及139英鎊交通費（數據出自《Expatistan》網站）。貨幣諮詢服務數據顯示，倫敦人每月在食物上花費230英鎊。

So, the current total is £1,110. But, that’s without ever leaving the house except for work, or paying for everything else that adds up, like insurance/debt repayments/Christmas presents/a mobile phone contract/home improvements.

算到這兒你還剩1110英鎊。但是你得做到：除工作外從不出門，也不支付其他任何費用（如保險、債務償還、聖誕節禮物、手機協議費、住宅修繕）。

So, putting aside around £500 for all of those things you have £610 left to save a month (or £7,320 annually).

所以，我們用500英鎊來支付以上費用，你每月可以存下610英鎊（一年7320英鎊）。

The average price for a flat/maisonette in London currently sits at £413,275, according to government statistics. However, heading out to boroughs like Barking and Bexley can take that average cost way down, with prices closer to £300,000.

政府數據顯示，倫敦目前公寓/小套房的平均價格在413,275英鎊。然而往巴金及貝克斯利等方向去的房子要便宜得多，接近300,000英鎊。

The minimum deposit you can pay is about 5%, which in those areas is about £15,000. Most mortgage calculators don’t even show figures for lending at 5% for first-time buyers, so 10% is better.

最低可預付押金爲5%，以上地區的房子則需支付15,000英鎊押金。對首次購房的人來說，大部分貸款計算器在預付押金設置爲5%時，甚至都不會顯示可貸金額，所以10%的預付押金要穩當一點。

But, when you put these figures – including income and deposit – into the Halifax mortgage calculator, they only lend you around £135,000, so if you’re single it’s a pretty hopeless situation.

但當你把收入及積蓄輸入哈利法克斯貸款計算器時，他們只會借你135,000英鎊。所以對單身的人來說，希望很渺茫。

If you’re part of a couple, things get a bit easier. You can save your 10% in three years with the shared income. Time to get finding love, then!

如果你有伴了，事情會變得簡單一些。在你們的共同積蓄基礎上，三年時間就能存夠10%的預付押金。那麼，先找個對象纔是當務之急！

Based on these figures, Halifax would lend you about £299,000, which by the time you’ve actually finished saving would be just enough to get somewhere. Hopefully.

基於你們的收入和儲蓄，哈利法克斯大概會借出299,000英鎊給你們。加上你們到時候攢夠的錢，應該是剛好可以實現目標的。希望很大！

But, don’t get too hyped yet, as the monthly repayments would still be sitting at up to £1,300 a month. That’s £650 each for the next 25 years of your life. Initial costs like stamp duty, furniture, conveyancing, surveying, and mortgage arrangement fees will need to be taken into account. You’ll also be responsible for all ongoing costs associated with the property.

但是，不要高興得太早。因爲每月償還額會在1,300英鎊居高不下。往後的25年，你每月需花費650英鎊。印花稅、傢俱、財產或其他權益讓與費用、調查費及按揭安排費用等最初費用均需納入考量。與房產有關的所有持續成本也都將由你負責。

You’ve reached your goal, but it’s pretty bittersweet. You’ve lived for years without holidays or big nights out, or any sort of splashing out, only to realise that it’s a huge commitment.

你實現了目標，然而冷暖自知。這麼多年了，你沒有假期、沒有聚會，任何形式的肆意歡縱與你無關。到頭來，你意識到這是一項多麼沉重的義務啊。

The figures I gave at the start count on you earning a good wage and finding a very good bargain. I’m looking at the best case scenario here, which as we know is about as rare as a four-leaf clover.

開篇提到的數字，基於這樣的假設條件：你有一份不錯的收入，並且你是一名砍價小能手。我在這裏設定的是最完美方案，但我們知道這份完美跟四葉草一樣罕見。

It’s pretty much an impossible dream to own in London if you’re single and not filthy rich. Your best hope is to somehow earn a London wage while living outside where homes are cheaper.

如果你單身，如果你沒有散發着銅臭的家庭，在倫敦買房幾乎是個遙不可及的夢。你最好的出路是，掙着倫敦的薪水，住在倫敦城外，那裏的房子要便宜一些。

Couples are in a much more favourable position, but it’s still going to be a very, very long road even after you’ve got the stage of owning the property.

情侶處在更有利的位置，但就算在你們擁有了屬於自己的房子後，也仍然有很長很長的路要走。

It’s a sorry state of affairs, and for those of us who can’t relocate, we’ll be stuck as part of Generation Rent forever. Paying a landlord who makes a healthy profit while you live in their often substandard properties is grim.

這個情形讓人唏噓，我們中無法突破的那部分人將會是租奴羣體中的一員。住在條件堪憂的房子裏，同時用高昂租金餵飽房東—如此這般陰冷的生活。

翻譯：everaining