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Renting vs. Owning

Renting vs. Owning

Date: Aug 13 2010

Themes: Family

Grammar: The Unreal Past

Intro

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Owning a house is part of the American dream. A home of your own is a symbol of success and prosperity. Owning also means that you don’t have to deal with annoying or irresponsible landlords.

But there are downsides to owning a house, too. It is a big responsibility. There’s a lot that can go wrong in a house, and when you own your own place, it’s up to you to fix any problems that come up.

Mason recently bought a house. But as you’re about to hear, he has mixed feelings about being his own landlord.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jeff

Jeff

Mason

Mason

Jeff:  Hey, Mason, got a minute?

Mason:  Yeah, Jeff, what’s up?

Jeff:  It’s bugging me. My landlord…I rent a house, and my landlords are generally cool, but they call me each and every month despite the fact that I’ve paid rent on time every month for over two years.

Mason:  What, do they call you and say, “Hey, pay rent”?

Jeff:  Rent is due. They remind me every month. I can’t stand it. I wish I owned a house.

Mason:  I understand, I…you know…bought the house recently, and so I am my own landlord. But the bank’s got better things to do than email me all the time.

Jeff:  So you never escape it.

Mason:  Well, you’re never going to escape making payments unless you win the lottery or something. But there’s definitely…I mean, there’s kinda the pros and cons, right, like you gotta deal with a landlord who’s grumpy, I gotta make sure that if my water heater breaks I can fix it, and I have no handyman skills.

Jeff:  I got good news for you, buddy. I happen to be a handyman.

Mason:  You kidding me? What’s your rate, man? I gotta get you over to my place. I’ve got some projects.

 

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Jeff asks Mason for advice. He is annoyed with his landlord, who calls him every month to remind him to pay his rent. Jeff wishes that he owned his own house so he wouldn’t have to deal with his landlord anymore.

Mason recently bought a house and he agrees that owning your own place has some advantages. But it also has a few disadvantages. Mason is not good at fixing things when they break in his house. Luckily, it turns out that Jeff is a great handyman. Maybe he can help Mason out.

Do you think it is better to rent or own a home? Why? What is more common in your country, renting or owning?

 

Comments

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jasminrifi

jasminrifi

Morocco

I think it is better to own your house at least it will be your property afetr finshing the bank payment and you will fin d your self when you are retired acheiving a dream of having a house that is yours.

02:09 PM Aug 13 2010 |

candy.ET

China

it's such a big problem to own a house,which has annoyed most of the people around the world.

how i wish to live in outspace!

02:02 PM Aug 13 2010 |

Olga_Alina

Germany

I won't buy a house. My perents had got a very old and big house. My fahter is a handyman, but he hadn't enough time. It was sad. In his free time he worked at the house…

01:46 PM Aug 13 2010 |

karim1985

karim1985

Germany

among the important thing to feel succes in life is to have your own house , renting house will coast you a lot of money to deal a good life.
there is no matter if you rent a house in the begining of your career but you must make great efforts to be owning the house.it is a big aim in the life.

01:39 PM Aug 13 2010 |

jiahui.lei

jiahui.lei

China

it's a must to have ur own space no matter it is rent or bought. but if i had enough money, i would buy a house without a hesitation. it based on ur budget.in my city it's hard to buy a house, coz it's too expensive to pay for~~

01:27 PM Aug 13 2010 |

jannie2568

jannie2568

Viet Nam

Surely, owning a house is indeed great because you'll have fully freedome to make decision on fixing or decorating as your interestes. Besides, you won't be uneasy regarding increasing the rental charge made by your landlord whenever the expiration of the lease comes up. In my country, owning a house is prevalent and renting seems like a temporary life. Thence, most of people have been striving to work, earn money to buy a house although the price is soaring by leaps and bounds, especially in big cities; e.g., Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh

12:58 PM Aug 13 2010 |

ali_nasri

ali_nasri

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I prefer to own a house instead of renting one. First of all, as mentioned in the dialog, you do not need to deal with the annoying landlords and I think that it is a great benefit. Second reason that I want to own my house is that I do not need to pack almost every year and move to a new place because I think that this is hard and also time consuming (maybe I am lazy!) and my final reason is that by owing a house you can do everything you want with your house without concerning about the consequences that maybe your landlord will be upset about the changes.

So these are my reasons that why I prefer to own a house instead of hiring one!   

12:29 PM Aug 13 2010 |

lady beginner

Russian Federation

as for me advantages and disadvantages of own house are depends on situation and   purposes. )

11:47 AM Aug 13 2010 |

noraline

Cote D'Ivoire

from my point of wiew it is better to own a house ,that is everyone dream in the future,in this case you have the freedom to do whatever you like,in terms of innovation. your house is your refuge,your property in case of financial crises you do not need to pay a rent no landlord  will bother you and  throw you out.

 

in my country people are more renting than having their own house

10:46 AM Aug 13 2010 |

janetbba

Algeria

owning a house is much more better than renting it makes you feel that you are successful and that you have your private house in which you can do what ever you want but it needs responsability owning a house really needs someone responsible. in my country renting a house is more common bcs houses are very expensive to buy

10:30 AM Aug 13 2010 |

foz12

foz12

Saudi Arabia

it depends what the situation of the person

if he can pay he will buy a house if not

he will rent

but in the end nothing is better than owning a house that make the person

relieve from the payment and save the money for the family

or whatever they want to do

10:25 AM Aug 13 2010 |

Berka11

Poland

I think that the best thing is to own a house or apartment somewhere. It teaches us responsibility. Otherwise we know that nobody can throw us outside.

10:22 AM Aug 13 2010 |

sunshine622

China

In this world, own a house is everyone's dream.

09:25 AM Aug 13 2010 |

singerjef

China

Owning my own house is a aim of my life.You know ,in china ,most people who like me will pay  whole life in order to have a house or not rent.But in the meanwhile, the rich often has some houses,and they control the house price .so the poor can't catch the iprovement of house price.

06:46 AM Aug 13 2010 |

protervos

protervos

United States

own better than rent..cuz,it urs,u can take care it  as good as u can like a baby and wife.4ever…..   it hard make a own house in usa

06:40 AM Aug 13 2010 |

Lewison

Lewison

China

right now,I am dreaming the dream of having a house of my own!In china ,especially in big cities ,one can struggle for a house for a lifetime,someone being called house slave!Foot in mouth

05:36 AM Aug 13 2010 |

primula

primula

Saudi Arabia

Nothing is better than owning a house. When you own your house you'll feel confident and free from worry as no more landlord gonna come to you saying RENT IS DUE Foot in mouth I think renting is just like throwing your money away. So it's better to own a house who knows what you may face in the future. But when the family is big and you can't take buying a house in this case it'd be better to rent a house as whenever something damages you and the landlord gonna share fixing the damage Cool so you won't take the responsibility alone.Therefore, I can say rent as little as possible and buy a home as soon as you can.Over here in my country it's common to own your house.

04:40 AM Aug 13 2010 |

mendinh

Viet Nam

In Vietnam, most of people in the countryside is own the house. That is very good. But in the big city is not same. The house is too expensive so it's difficult to buy a house. Owning a hose is the dream of  people. You have to work hard, saving very much money to get a house.

04:30 AM Aug 13 2010 |

hwa

hwa

Thailand

Nothing wrong about owning a house.It's everyone's dream!Tongue out

as long as you you have enough money to buy it !

However,it's depends on period of time that you need to stay there.

If you think you stay there for temporary for study , work , vacation ,etc.

renting might be best choice for you.

x

03:49 AM Aug 13 2010 |

candykumar

India

fine

03:26 AM Aug 13 2010 |

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