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Renting vs. Owning

Date: Aug 13 2010

Themes: Family

Grammar: The Unreal Past

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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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Jeff

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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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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NIJ321655

United States

A owning is someone how own things.

prosvet

Ukraine

In my country, everyone tries to buy to a house or a flat of his own. According to the common opinion, renting is unacceptable, especially, if a child is born to the family. As for me, my family brakes this stereotype. We follow the best job preposition and move free from city to city, from country to country. That’s one more advantage of renting. But any time, when we”ll get older, I would like to live in own house.

romanlaw

Brazil

if you have enough money to own a house, why not get one, housing is always increasing in value….

.....

Graduated from [url=http://www.soran.edu.iq/] Soran [/url] University with First Class Degree with Honours in Political Science.

RachealXiao

China

if you have enough money to own a house, why not get one, housing is always increasing in value

julito

Argentina

Rent or buy a house ? hard to say, specially when the global economy is going on a roller coaster. I am now visiting relatives in USA and I knowl how afraid they are whenever the drier or water heater brokes down . If you have a steady job, no problem ,but what happen when you only have a part-time job or worst, collect unemployment .both has pros and con .

ybak

China

In China, it is necessary to buy a house, or there is no sense of belonging. But now there are so many real estate speculators who continue to engage the rising house prices. The only aim of mine is to save money to pay down payment for now.

lyc6011

Hong Kong

I would say owning house will be better than renting house for a long-term plan. But must depends on the house price if keep rising rapidly and unreasonable, if the risky is big, suggest to rent for a time being.

Hannaan

Pakistan

Renting first and when financial status goes up, we do owning.

Zambuka

United States

Owning or renting . . . Well, actually, i would like to have my own house more than to rent it . And it’s not because of having something or not, not because it’s kinda prosperity sign. I would like to have the house because everything you do in your house , everything you mend, everything you buy , it will always goes as you want . No landlord can tell you what kind of design to do in kitchen, living room and so on. And every decorations, every little things you do – it’s all for your favour.:) and as for bank e-mails . . . Just take them easy :) everything has downsides, and it’s not the worst one :)

deeplove38

Turkey

Owning house has more advantages versus disadvantages.If you have owning house can buy furniture suited for house design and dont have to move when every rent due.Your posts, newspapers, guides arrive your owning house address regularly.Your friends, parents, relations can find easly your address.

zoebaby

China

as i known,Chinese real estate goes nuts now..most of ppl cant afford to own a house…i hate the current situation in China…

narsen92

South Korea

At the present, it is very risky to own a house in Korea. The real estate has been going down up to now. (It's been 3-4 years) Most of peaple in Korea bought a house by lending huge money from banks. That is the problem. It also means that you have to pay the debt for the next 10-20 years. I call it " a slave of capitalism". I wouldn't buy a house if I don't have enough money. The salary from a company wouldn't be able to keep up with the debt and the interest rate!!

flowerofred

United Arab Emirates

owning a house is a good thing to secure your future.. In UAE people rent part of their houses or all of it to get another source of money which is good for the economy.. and if u ever need ur own home u can get it And use it in many ways…am with having ur own house as u can use it to get more mony to help you in your expenses ^_

lak2010

Algeria

owing a house is every body's dream in algeria althrough it is so expensive to aford it .as for me , i recently bought a flat and got married

lak2010

Algeria

owing a house is every body's dream in algeria althrough it is so expensive to aford it .as for me , i recently bought a flat and got married

Jib_fbk

Thailand

i would like to have my own house too,but it's quite expensive in China!

zoe.wu0923

China

I HOPE OWNING house , too!

raul91

Portugal

owning something it's always good

Mohamed aly

Egypt

I hope every one can own house .

azar_azari_06

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

well, in my country IRAN most of people are owning,,but the others who renting house are verey in truble because payment is so expensive,,i wish all of them to be owning