Real Estate Vocabulary
Before comparing properties, here is a useful sentence to get you started with a real estate agency (une agence immobilière).
| I am going to call the real estate agency tomorrow morning. | Je vais appeler l'agence immobilière demain matin. |
Everyday Contrasts: "Par contre"
When weighing the pros and cons of different apartments, use par contre to say "on the other hand" or "however." It usually sits at the beginning of the second sentence to introduce a contrasting idea.
| This real estate agency is expensive. On the other hand, it is very serious. | Cette agence immobilière est chère. Par contre, elle est très sérieuse. |
It is perfect for evaluating apartment features like the ground floor (le rez-de-chaussée), brightness (lumineux), or surface area (la surface).
| The apartment is on the ground floor. On the other hand, it is very bright. | L'appartement est au rez-de-chaussée. Par contre, il est très lumineux. |
| The rent is expensive. On the other hand, the surface area is large. | Le loyer est cher. Par contre, la surface est grande. |
You can also use it when discussing paperwork, such as the lease (le bail).
| I would like to sign the lease. On the other hand, I am going to read it first. | Je voudrais signer le bail. Par contre, je vais le lire d'abord. |
A Formal Alternative: "En revanche"
En revanche means exactly the same thing as par contre, but is slightly more elegant and formal.
Here it is used to discuss other common real estate issues, like insulation (l'isolation) or a lack of privacy due to facing windows (le vis-à-vis).
| This is the house where I live. On the other hand, the insulation is a problem. | C'est la maison où j'habite. En revanche, l'isolation est un problème. |
| It is the brightest apartment. On the other hand, there is a lack of privacy. | C'est l'appartement le plus lumineux. En revanche, il y a du vis-à-vis. |