昨天公司搞團隊建設活動（team building activity）。好久不見的黎巴嫩人佳米爾來找我聊天。他曾經和我在一個小組工作過幾年，去年調到別的部門。他經常向我討教關於房地產投資的問題。他現在的房子就是在我的指點之下買下的。所以一見面，很自然就聊到了房子的事情。下面是我們之間的對話： Do you know what happened to my house lately?
聽說過我房子的事情了嗎？ No. What happened.
沒有。房子怎麼了？ I had a law suit against the builder and I won, I made some good money.
我告了我房子的建築商，而且贏了官司。發了一筆大財。 Good for you! how and for what?
不錯呀！怎麼弄的？憑什麼？ A couple of months ago, this lawyer approached me and asked me if I am interested in participating a lawsuit against my builder. Because there might be defects on your house. And they said it costs me nothing if we loss the case, and we will split the money if we win. I thought in that case, why not, then I said sure, I am in. Then they asked other people in the community to participate . They found a bunch of professionals and made their case, I never thought they indeed won the case. we get a judgement of 104,000 bucks and I got 52 grants.
幾個月前，一個律師找到我，問我是否有興趣加入一場官司，控告我的建築商。因為我的房子可能有建築問題。他們說如果官司輸了，我分毫無損。但是如果贏了，我就可以和他們五五分賬。我想，既然如此，幹嘛不？所以我說，當然。我干。然後他們又要求社區裡的其他住戶加入。他們找來一些專家，居然把案子做成了。我從來沒有想到他們居然贏了這場官司。我們得到十萬零四千元賠償。我分得五萬二千元。 So they filed a classic action against the builder? How much the other home owners got in this case?
看來他們進行了一場針對建築商的集體訴訟？其他參與的房主分得多少錢？ They got different money, some 1000, some 2000, I got the most of it. But I am worried about it, do you think I did a right thing or not?
多少不等。有的一千塊，有的兩千。我得的錢最多。但是有點兒擔心。你認為我是做對了還是做錯了？ What the problem they found and what the compensation is for?
他們找到了什麼問題嗎？賠償是因為什麼？ They found my house foundation is one and half inch uneven. and the professionals made the case in court saying this is a serious problem.
他們找出我房子的地基一邊比另一邊高出一點五英寸。專家們在法庭上說這是嚴重問題，並使法官相信了他們的結論。 How much money is needed for you to fix the problem?
你需要花費多少錢來維修以糾正這個問題呢？ Nothing. the professionals say your house is fine. you do not need to do anything.
一分錢也無需花。專家們說我的房子沒事。我不需要做什麼。 Well, if there is nothing wrong for now, how could they make there case in the court?
哼，如果沒有事，他們怎麼可以在法庭上如是說？ They are professionals and the judge takes their word.
他們是專家，法官相信他們的話。 Well, I guess you did a good thing for yourself because you had financial gain. But it is not necessary moral and it may be a desaster to the builder if they are small. Do they have good reputation or had problem with other communities?
哈，我猜你為自己做了一件好事。因為你為此發了一筆小財。但是是否合乎道德就難說了。這事情對於一家小的建築商可能是一場災難。 他們聲譽如何？在別的社區有過同樣的建築質量問題嗎？ They are big company and have good reputation.
它們是一家大建築商，名聲也不錯。 OK. I guess they do not care about this small case, then. The only thing I think might be that by getting this money, you loos your right to sue them in the future if your have really get problem and you have to fix it later.
既然如此，我猜他們也不在乎這樣的小案子。另外一件事是，你得了這筆錢之後，以後如果你的房子真的有事需要維修時，你卻沒權告他們了。 The house have been built for 10 years soon so the warrant is expiring anyway.
這房子已經快滿十年保修期了。 OK. The other thing that might be a problem is when you sale you house, you have to disclose all the legal cases related to your house, which might cause concerns to the buyers and they may be discouraged to buy your house.
噢。還有一件事可能也會是個麻煩。就是當你需要賣你的房子時，你需要向買方坦白所有與房子相關的官司情況。 這個官司可能使買方不願意購買你的房屋。 I asked the professionals and they said no problem, at that time, they can provide report and say this is not an issue.
我也問過那些專家了。他們說，沒問題。來找我們好了。 到時候，他們可以為我出具房屋地基沒有問題的證明文件。 聽了這個故事，我感到無語。這可是民主美國下的法制。把這個故事寫出來，恐怕也是個見仁見智的問題。我想要說的是，人們，我是愛你們的，你們可要當心啊。。。 | 
