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How to Buy a House in USA

Join Ariannita and a realtor on a model-home tour, from room and fixture names to the U.S. home-buying process. Hear practical language for describing a property, asking what is included, making an offer, and discussing loans, mortgages, and down payments.

Read the full lesson summary

Ariannita visits a model home with a realtor, who explains rooms, features, and parts of the home-buying process. The lesson helps learners describe a house and ask questions during a property tour. It begins with the word “realtor” and moves through the exterior, entrance, flexible rooms, half bath, living room, kitchen, appliances, dining area, patio, bedrooms, closets, laundry, flooring, and basement. Expressions such as “show me around this house,” “comes equipped with,” and “finish the basement” help learners understand descriptions of a property.

The tour also demonstrates how to respond naturally when someone points out a feature or invites a closer look. “Take a look at it” can direct attention to something nearby, while “keep in mind” introduces a consideration. A “half bath” is a U.S. housing term for a bathroom with a toilet and sink but no bathtub or shower; the term may need explanation for people unfamiliar with it. Learners can practise asking what a room includes, describing where furniture might go, or saying whether they would use a patio or finished basement.

Near the end, the realtor and presenter discuss offers, loans, mortgages, interest, down payments, and possible monthly costs. The video includes a particular $600,000 model-home example and a former client’s payment; these are examples from that conversation, not general estimates or promises. Actual down-payment requirements and monthly costs depend on the loan program, lender, borrower, property, taxes, insurance, and other costs. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains that total monthly housing costs can include principal, interest, mortgage insurance, property taxes, and homeowners insurance. Treat the section as vocabulary and listening practice, not financial or real-estate advice.

For practice, role-play asking a realtor what a feature means, what a price includes, or what happens next in a fictional home tour. Use made-up details rather than sharing private finances. The aim is to understand property language and ask clear questions, not to decide whether to buy a home.

S2.1
Ariannita la GringaAmerican English17:39

0 qualified plays 0 unique learners 0.0 hours watched 0 completed

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Transcript

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Select an expression for its meaning · 0:00

Introducing the home tour and realtor

Hey guys! It's Ariannita la Gringa and welcome back to my YouTube channel. In today's video, I will teach all of you how to buy a house in English in the United States. But I'm not by myself. I'm with my friend Katherine who's . So Katherine, what is a realtor? A realtor is the person that is going to help you buy, sell, or rent your house. Katherine is a realtor so she's going to show me around this beautiful . Stay till the end of the video because Katherine's going to tell us the price of the house and how much it costs and she's going to explain the steps

Try it: Try using “a realtor” in a sentence about introducing the home tour and realtor.

Phrase cheat sheet

All phrases at a glance

Review each expression, hear it, save it, or jump to where it appears in the video.

16 phrases

Showing 16 of 16 phrases

a realtor

Introducing the home tour and realtor · expression

A real-estate professional who helps people buy or sell property.

Tone and use: Neutral U.S. real-estate term. Talk about an agent who guides a home purchase or sale.

May not fit: In places where realtor is a protected title, use real-estate agent unless the person is a REALTOR® member.

Example“We asked a realtor to help us find a home near work.”

model home

Introducing the home tour and realtor · collocation

A furnished example home that builders show prospective buyers.

Tone and use: Neutral real-estate vocabulary. Describe a demonstration home built to show a design or layout.

May not fit: For a home already occupied by its owner, simply say house or property.

Example“We toured a model home to compare the kitchen layouts.”

show me around this house

Introducing the home tour and realtor · expression

Give someone a tour of a home and point out its rooms or features.

Tone and use: Friendly and conversational. Ask a host or agent to guide you through a property.

May not fit: For a formal appointment, you can say, “Could you give me a tour of the property?”

Example“Would you show me around the apartment before we discuss the lease?”

take a look at it

Introducing the home tour and realtor · expression

Look at or examine something briefly.

Tone and use: Natural and conversational. Suggest viewing a home, room, or feature without implying a formal inspection.

May not fit: For a professional evaluation, say inspect it or have it inspected.

Example“The listing looks promising; let’s take a look at it this afternoon.”

hang out in the evening

Describing the exterior and entrance · phrasal verb

Spend relaxed, informal time somewhere, often socially.

Tone and use: Casual. Describe how people use a porch or shared space to relax.

May not fit: For a formal event, use gather or spend time together.

Example“We like to hang out on the porch after dinner.”

half bath

Touring a flexible room and half bath · cultural reference

A small bathroom with a toilet and sink but no bathtub or shower.

Tone and use: Common U.S. housing term. Describe or ask about a home’s bathroom layout.

May not fit: For an international audience, explain what fixtures it has because the term is region-specific.

Example“There’s a half bath downstairs for guests.”

comes equipped with

Talking about the living room and furniture · collocation

Includes the equipment or features needed for a particular use.

Tone and use: Neutral, slightly formal. Ask which appliances or features are included with a home or rental.

May not fit: If an item is optional or sold separately, say that it is available rather than included.

Example“The apartment comes equipped with a washer and dryer.”

entertain your friends and family

Talking about the living room and furniture · expression

Host or spend social time with guests at home.

Tone and use: Neutral; a little more polished than have people over. Describe a room’s use for hosting visitors.

May not fit: For a casual conversation, “have friends over” may sound more relaxed.

Example“The open kitchen makes it easy to entertain friends and family.”

purchase that on your own

Kitchen appliances and the dining area · expression

Buy that item yourself rather than having it included or supplied.

Tone and use: Neutral conversational language. Clarify that a buyer must arrange and pay for something separately.

May not fit: If someone else is responsible for the purchase, name who will buy it.

Example“The desk isn’t included, so you’ll need to purchase it on your own.”

walk-in closet

Describing bedrooms and closets · collocation

A closet large enough for a person to step inside.

Tone and use: Neutral home and housing vocabulary. Describe a storage space in a bedroom or home listing.

May not fit: For a small built-in cupboard, use closet rather than walk-in closet.

Example“The main bedroom has a walk-in closet.”

finish the basement

Comparing finished and unfinished basement space · expression

Complete a basement so it can be used as finished living space.

Tone and use: Neutral U.S. home-improvement language. Discuss converting unfinished basement space into a usable room.

May not fit: For routine decorating or repairs, use renovate or update if that is what you mean.

Example“They plan to finish the basement and add a guest room.”

put in an offer

The home-buying process and mortgage · expression

Make a formal proposal to buy a property at a stated price and terms.

Tone and use: Common real-estate language. Talk about the step of offering to buy a home.

May not fit: For a casual price suggestion, use offer rather than the real-estate phrase.

Example“We liked the house, so our agent helped us put in an offer.”

apply for that loan

The home-buying process and mortgage · expression

Submit a request asking a lender to approve borrowed money.

Tone and use: Neutral financial language. Describe requesting financing from a bank or lender.

May not fit: If approval is already granted, say take out or get a loan.

Example“She plans to apply for a loan before looking at homes.”

out of your pocket

The home-buying process and mortgage · idiom

Paid directly with your own money rather than borrowed or reimbursed funds.

Tone and use: Everyday financial language. Explain who pays or where the money comes from.

May not fit: For precise financial documents, say paid with personal funds.

Example“We paid the inspection fee out of our pocket.”

put a down payment down

The home-buying process and mortgage · collocation

Pay an initial portion of a home’s price when buying it with financing.

Tone and use: Common conversational real-estate language; somewhat repetitive but natural. Discuss the upfront amount paid toward a home purchase.

May not fit: For concise formal writing, use make a down payment.

Example“They saved for years to put a down payment down on a house.”

keep in mind

The home-buying process and mortgage · expression

Remember or consider a detail when making a decision.

Tone and use: Neutral and common. Introduce a relevant caution or fact before someone decides.

May not fit: For a direct instruction, say remember or note instead.

Example“Keep in mind that closing costs are separate from the down payment.”

Knowledge check

Practice the phrases you heard

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What it means · “model home”

What is a model home in this lesson?