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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.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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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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crumarina

crumarina

United States

I believe, owning is a better deal than renting. First of all is a good investment that you could do for your family and yourself. It has adventages, as well as, disadventages, but it' like everything. If you don't risk you don't win.

02:29 AM Aug 13 2010 |

MeSho

MeSho

Saudi Arabia

in my country is better to have you own house BTW the houses are expensive here

the habit is when couple get married they rent apartment and then after some years they starting to be concern about thier own house and starting to build it so when they make a big family thier own house is ready to live it xD .

02:23 AM Aug 13 2010 |

izac

izac

South Korea

Most of the korean wanna get their own house.

Nowdays it is so expensive to get own house.

In my case  that I don't have enough money to buy my house yet.

That's why I live in a dorm now which provide room and board.

I can save some money and I can get home in the future.

I have worked my company which is located at Seoul. Owing a house is too

expensive here.

 

01:50 AM Aug 13 2010 |

Mostafa5

Mostafa5

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Hi.u can rent a house if u want have different house (e.g Decoration,Vista,...) but if u have own house,u can change it by ur idea be ur landlord.thank you ;)

12:43 AM Aug 13 2010 |

xixinger327

China

in china if you want to own a home at beijing or shanghai,it's impossble,because the house is too expensive to bear,you work for the house ,you cant do anything!

12:26 AM Aug 13 2010 |

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