1. Types of houses & buildings

• detached house – a separate house that does not share walls with any other building.
  They live in a detached house with a big garden and a garage.
• semi-detached house (UK) / duplex (US) – one building divided into two homes that share one common wall.
  Their semi-detached house shares a wall with the neighbours’ place.
• terraced house (UK) / town house (US) – one of a row of similar houses joined together on both sides.
  They moved into a small terraced house close to the city centre.
• cottage / cabin – a small, cosy house, usually in the countryside or in the mountains.
  The family spends their weekends in a wooden cottage by the lake.
• bedsit – a very small flat with one main room used as a bedroom and living room, often with basic cooking facilities.
  He rents a cheap bedsit close to the university campus.
• flat (UK) / apartment (US) – a self-contained home in a larger building.
  She shares a modern apartment with two friends.
• block of flats (UK) / apartment building (US) – a tall building with many separate flats on different floors.
  They live in a new block of flats overlooking the park.
• penthouse – a luxury flat on the top floor of a tall building, usually with great views.
  The penthouse offers a fantastic view of the city skyline.

2. People in housing & real estate

• landlord – a person who owns a property and rents it to other people.
  Our landlord fixes things quickly when something breaks.
• tenant – a person who lives in a property and pays rent to the landlord.
  The tenants must pay their rent by the first of every month.
• homeowner – someone who owns the home they live in.
  As a new homeowner, she spends a lot of time decorating.
• homebuyer – a person who is buying a home.
  The first-time homebuyers were nervous but excited.
• estate agent (UK) / real estate agent (US) – someone who helps people buy, sell or rent properties.
  The estate agent showed them three different houses in one afternoon.

3. Renting, buying & paying for a home

• utility bills – regular payments for services such as electricity, water, gas and sometimes internet.
  In winter, their utility bills are much higher because of heating.
• let / rent out / lease (a property) – to allow someone to live in your property in exchange for money.
  They decided to rent out their flat while they work abroad.
• rent – the money a tenant pays regularly to live in a property.
  Their monthly rent is due on the first day of the month.
• evict (someone) – to legally force a tenant to leave a property.
  The landlord had to evict the tenants after months of unpaid rent.
• take out a mortgage – to borrow money from a bank to buy a house or flat.
  They took out a mortgage to buy their first home.

A mortgage is usually paid back over many years in monthly payments.

4. Common house problems & issues

• leaks – problems when water escapes from pipes, the roof or the bathroom, often causing damage.
  After the storm, they discovered several leaks in the roof.
• damp – too much moisture in the walls or floors, making the room feel cold and wet.
  The basement smells bad because of damp.
• mould (UK) / mold (US) – a type of fungus that grows in places that are warm and damp.
  They cleaned the mould in the bathroom and opened the window to let fresh air in.
• cracks – thin lines that appear in walls, ceilings or floors when something is damaged.
  Small cracks appeared in the wall after the building work.
• poor water pressure – when water from the tap or shower comes out too slowly or weakly.
  The shower has poor water pressure, so it takes longer to wash your hair.
• poor insulation – not enough protection in the walls, roof or windows to keep heat inside.
  Because of the poor insulation, the house is cold and the heating bills are high.