Real Estate Vocabulary

A home on one floor of a larger building. “Flat” is British English.

“This apartment is on the fifth floor.” 🔊

A building for one family to live in.

“The house has a small garden.” 🔊

A large house, often with a garden or pool.

“The villa has a private pool.” 🔊

A small apartment with one main room.

“The studio is perfect for one person.” 🔊

An apartment on the top floor of a building, often luxurious.

“The penthouse has a large roof terrace.” 🔊

A house joined to other houses in a row, usually on two or three floors.

“This townhouse is close to the city centre.” 🔊

A property sold before it is built or finished.

“Off-plan properties are often cheaper than completed ones.” 🔊

A room for sleeping.

“There are three bedrooms upstairs.” 🔊

A room with a toilet, a sink and a shower or bath.

“The bathroom was renovated last year.” 🔊

A room for cooking.

“The kitchen is fully equipped.” 🔊

The main room for relaxing. Also called a lounge.

“The living room opens onto the balcony.” 🔊

A small outdoor area on the outside wall of a building.

“You can see the sea from the balcony.” 🔊

A bathroom connected directly to a bedroom.

“The master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom.” 🔊

A small room for storing clothes. Also called a walk-in wardrobe.

“There’s a walk-in closet next to the bedroom.” 🔊

A room for the washing machine and household items.

“The utility room is next to the kitchen.” 🔊

Full of natural light.

“The apartment is very bright in the morning.” 🔊

Sold or rented with furniture.

“The flat is fully furnished.” 🔊

A view of the sea from the property.

“All bedrooms have a sea view.” 🔊

Large, with a lot of space.

“The living area is spacious and comfortable.” 🔊

Without walls between the kitchen, dining and living areas.

“The apartment features an open-plan living area.” 🔊

Recently repaired and improved.

“The house is newly renovated, so you can move in straight away.” 🔊

In good condition but old-fashioned; it needs some work.

“The kitchen needs updating, which is reflected in the price.” 🔊

Completely ready to move into.

“It’s a turnkey property — just bring your suitcase.” 🔊

The main central part of a city. US English: downtown.

“The apartment is in the city centre.” 🔊

Close to the beach.

“The villa is near the beach.” 🔊

A calm area where people live.

“It’s a quiet neighbourhood, perfect for families.” 🔊

Close enough to walk to.

“Shops and cafés are within walking distance.” 🔊

Useful places and services nearby, such as shops, schools and gyms.

“The area has excellent amenities.” 🔊

An area that is becoming more popular and valuable.

“It’s an up-and-coming area, so prices are likely to rise.” 🔊

How much a property costs.

“The price is 300,000 euros.” 🔊

A unit for measuring area (m²). US English often uses square feet.

“The apartment is 85 square metres.” 🔊

Money paid in advance to reserve a property or before renting.

“The deposit is one month’s rent.” 🔊

The price the seller wants for the property.

“The asking price is negotiable.” 🔊

A regular fee for maintaining the building and shared areas.

“The annual service charge includes the pool and security.” 🔊

A professional estimate of how much a property is worth.

“The bank will arrange a valuation before approving the mortgage.” 🔊

Yearly rental income as a percentage of the property price.

“This apartment offers a rental yield of around 7%.” 🔊