Talking about properties
In this article, part of our series on French for estate agents, we'll look at how to describe the main characteristics of a property and its location.
We've already covered some basic location descriptions in our first class for estate agents. Now let's look at 20 more phrases.
Pay attention to the verbs which are used:
- Le lotissement se situe sur la colline.
The housing estate is located on the hill. - La propriété se trouve dans un environnement tranquille et relaxant.
The property is located in a quiet, relaxed, área. - La demeure se situe à proximité du lieu où l'artiste est né.
The mansión is located next to the place where the artist was born. - L'appartement se trouve à 100 mètres du bord de mer.
The apartment is located 100 metres from the sea. - La maison est immergée dans la campagne, dans un lieu isolé et naturel.
The house is located in the country, in a natural, secluded setting.
Let's see some more ways of describing a property's location:
- Les maisons se trouvent dans un bon secteur.
The houses are located in a good área. - La maison se trouve dans un endroit silencieux sans le bruit du centre-ville, bien qu'elle en soit très proche.
The house is located in a quiet área without the noise of the centre of town, but close by. - L'immeuble se trouve juste á côté de la mairie et en face du restaurant.
The building is located right next to the Town Hall, opposite the pizza restaurant. - La maison se situe dans un quartier neuf résidentiel de style méditerranéen.
The house is located in a Mediterrean-style residential área.
- L'immeuble se situe entre l'église et la mairie.
The building is located between the church and the Town Hall. - L'appartement se trouve en plein cœur du village.
The apartment is located right in the heart of the village. - Éloignée du centre du village, la maison est très reposante.
Far from the centre, the house is perfect for relaxing.
Talking about an apartment? You'll want to tell the clients what floor the property is located on, and whether the building has a lift:
- Cet accueillant studio d'environ 40 m2 pour 2 personnes se situe au quatrième étage d'un immeuble avec ascenseur, proche du centre-ville.
This elegant 40m2 studio for two people is situated on the fourth floor of a building with no life, close to the centre.
Selling property by the sea?
- La maison en pierre possède des vues imprenables, dominant la baie de Cadaqués.
The Stone house enjoys spectacular views over the whole of the bay of Cadaques. -
La maison se trouve au-dessus de la baie, sur 1000 m² de terrain.
The house is located above the bay, in 1000m2 of land.
-
L'appartement se situe à quelques pas de la plage.
The apartment is located a few metres from the beach.
-
L'appartement se trouve sur une promenade de bord de mer très agréable, à deux pas de nombre de restaurants, cafés et bars.
The apartment is located on the seaside promenade, very close to a good selection of restaurants, cafes and bars.
Giving directions.
The following phrases describe how to get to a particular property:
- Notre maison se trouve après le tournant à gauche
The house is after the corner on the left. - Pour rejoindre la maison, vous devez nécessairement passer par le chemin de terre, puis prendre une petite route que vous trouverez á gauche, juste après la fontaine.
To reach the house, you must take a dirt road and then turn into a small road on the right-hand side, just after the fountain. - 16. L'appartement est juste en face de la statue et derrière l'église.
The apartment is right in front of a statue and behind the church.
In our section on Travel French, we have a much more extensive class on giving directions.
Key vocabulario: words and expressions for location:
- au-dessus de - above
- dans - in
- entre - between
- après - after
- sur - on
- á côté de - next to
False friend alert!
Remember that the French word 'location' actually means 'rental'
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Some other stuff here
This Course
Business French
Our Business French course is designed to get you working in French as quickly as possible. The course contains sections on meetings and the telephone, as well as French for finance and practical workplace French (The type of practical phrases you'll need in a French-speaking office).
We are also working on a series of sector-based courses. First up is a set of classes for estate agents and property buyers.
Other sections in this course
Real estate
Whether you're selling property in Provence or working with clients in Paris, the type of vocabulary you'll need isn't going to vary much from place to place.
Speaking on the Phone
Speaking on the phone can be one of the most difficult tasks in any foreign language. In this course we'll take you through all the basics, from answering the phone, to taking messages or giving excuses when your boss hasn't come back from lunch.
French for Meetings
Need to attend a meeting with French-speaking clients?
In this section we'll cover everything from arranging dates and sending invitations, to writing agendas, through to summarising the agreements reached at the meeting.
In a French-speaking office
Dont' know how to ask for a stapler? In this section we'll take you through all those useful little phrases and questions for office life that other courses just don't cover.
Finance and Numbers
How do we present numbers and talk about financial information in French? In this section we cover the basics (the numbers in French!) as well as how to present graphs, sales results, or complicated statistical data.
Real estate
Other classes in this section:
Estate agents: Getting started
This first class in our section on English for Estate Agents looks at some of the most important questions which you'll want to ask a new client. We'll also take you through the most usual responses you'll hear from clients.
Talking about properties
How to describe the main characteristics of a property and its location.
Arranging Property Viewings
Need to organise a viewing, meeting or other business engagement with a French-speaking client? This article forms part of our course on French for (Real) Estate Agents, but it should also prove useful for professionals in other sectors too.
Talking about Offers
Who doesn't like receiving an offer for a property? Unfortunately, we'll probably have to do quite a bit of work before we get an offer, or at least one which is likely to be accepted. So, in this class, let's look at different ways of talking about, making, and reacting to, offers.
The property search
Understanding what the client is looking for is an absolutely essential part of being a successful estate agent. With French-speaking clients there are a serious of fairly standard questions which you'll need to use in order to find out what type of property the client wants.
Location, location, location...
How can we talk about the location of a property in French? What's the best way to describe the area, and talk about it's pros and cons. How can we talk about the distance to a town centre, shopping centre or beach?
Installations
Don't you just hate it when potential start asking technical questions about the heating system or electric wiring? However, it's inevitable that clients will have quite a few questions about the installations of a house, from the plumbing to the hot water, and lots else besides.
The property market
It's not just estate agents, but a whole range of professionals, who will find themselves having to explain aspects of the property market to clients, colleagues or suppliers.