Compilation of 3 English conversations about buying a house

English vocabulary for the topic of buying a house

Meaning

Example

Property

/ˈprɒpəti/

an object or objects that belong to someone; a building or area of land, or both together

They're looking to invest in a commercial property downtown. 

House

/haʊs/

a building that people, usually one family, live in

They just bought a new house in the suburbs. 

Real estate

/ˈriːəl ɪˈsteɪt/

property in the form of land or buildings

The real estate market in the city is booming. 

Mortgage

/ˈmɔːrɡɪdʒ/

an agreement that allows you to borrow money from a bank or similar organization, especially in order to buy a house, or the amount of money itself

They're applying for a mortgage to buy their dream home. 

Loan

/ləʊn/

an amount of money that is borrowed, often from a bank, and has to be paid back, usually together with an extra amount of money that you have to pay as a charge for borrowing

They took out a loan to finance the purchase of their new apartment. 

Down payment

/daʊn ˈpeɪmənt/

an amount of money that you pay at the time that you buy something but is only a part of the total cost of that thing. You usually pay the rest of the cost over a period of time

They saved up for years to make a sizable down payment on their house. 

Realtor

/ˈriːltər/

a person whose job is to arrange the sale, renting or management of homes, land and buildings for the owners

They hired a realtor to help them find the perfect property. 

Listing

/ˈlɪstɪŋ/

a list of information that is published regularly, or an item on this list

They found their dream house through an online listing. 

Appraisal

/əˈpreɪzl/

the act of examining someone or something in order to judge their or its qualities, success, or needs

The bank requires an appraisal before approving the mortgage. 

Closing costs

/ˈkləʊzɪŋ kɒsts/

To process fees you pay to your lender when you close on your loan

They were surprised by the closing costs associated with buying a house. 

Title

/ˈtaɪtl̩/

the legal right to own a piece of land or a building, or a document that proves this right

They received the title to their new property after completing the purchase. 

Foreclosure

/fɔːˈkləʊʒər/

the action of taking back property that was bought with borrowed money because the money was not being paid back as formally agreed, or an example of this

Many families lost their homes due to foreclosure during the economic crisis. 

Equity

/ˈɛkwɪti/

the value of a company, divided into many equal parts owned by the shareholders, or one of the equal parts into which the value of a company is divided

They've built up a significant amount of equity in their home over the years. 

Inspection

/ɪnˈspɛkʃən/

the act of looking at something carefully, or an official visit to a building or organization to check that everything is correct and legal

They scheduled an inspection to check for any potential issues with the property. 

Deposit

/dɪˈpɒzɪt/

an amount of money that you pay as the first part of the total payment for something

They put down a deposit to secure the sale of the house. 

English communication phrases for the topic of buying a house

I'm interested in buying a house. Can you show me some options?

Could you provide information about the houses available for sale?

Do you have any properties within my budget?

What are the features of this house?

Can I schedule a viewing for this property?

Is there any negotiation room on the price?

What are the terms of sale for this property?

Are there any additional costs I should be aware of?

Can you help me with the mortgage process?

Is there a homeowners association fee for this property?

Are there any renovations needed for this house?

Could you provide me with the property's inspection report?

What is the neighborhood like?

Can you recommend any reputable home inspectors?

I'm ready to make an offer on this house. What are the next steps?

English conversations about buying a house

• Mary: Hello, Mary’s speaking. Who is that?

• John: Hi. I’m John. I’m looking for a house to rent and I saw the ad about your house. 

• Mary: Oh, right. I have a house available now.

• John: Um… How many bedrooms are there? And how old is it?

• Mary: There are two bedrooms and the house is nearly twenty years old.

• John: When can I come for a viewing?

• Mary: Well, I’m available tomorrow afternoon, from 1.m to 5 p.m. Can we meet at 1:30?

• John: Yes, sounds good to me.

• Mary: Okay, see you tomorrow. 

• John: Bye.

• Mary: Well, do you have any questions, John?

• John: How much is the rent per month? and How long is the lease?

• Mary: It’s 800 dollars and the lease length is 6 months.

• John: Ok, and how much is the deposit

• Mary: It’s 500 dollars. Well, what do you think?

• John: I think this house is exactly what I’m looking for. When can I move in?

• Mary: As soon as you like.

English conversations about buying a house

• John: Hi, Susan. I've been considering buying your house, but I have some concerns about the asking price.

• Susan: Hello, John. I understand. What are your concerns?

• John: Well, after reviewing the market, I noticed that similar houses in the area are selling for slightly lower prices. I'm wondering if we could negotiate a bit on the price.

• Susan: I did some research too, and I believe the price accurately reflects the value of the house, considering its condition and location.

• John: Ok, I got it. However, I was hoping we could find a middle ground. Would you be open to discussing a lower price or perhaps including some additional incentives?

• Susan: Let me think about it for a moment. I might be willing to negotiate if we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement.

• John: That sounds reasonable. I'm flexible and willing to work with you to find a solution that works for both of us.

• Susan: Great. I will call you later.

English conversations about buying a house

• Jack: Hello, Susan. I've carefully reviewed the terms, and I'm ready to proceed with purchasing your house at the negotiated price.

• Emily: Hi, John. I'm glad to hear that. I believe we've reached a fair agreement. Are you comfortable with the closing date outlined in the contract?

• Jack: Yes, the closing date works well for me.

• Emily: Perfect. Is there anything else you'd like to discuss or clarify before we proceed with signing the contract?

• Jack: Actually, there's one thing. I noticed that the appliances were not included in the listing. Would you consider leaving them as part of the sale?

• Emily: I understand your request, John. Let me check with my husband and see if we can accommodate that. I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

• Jack: Thank you, Susan.