Buy a Czech Castle for 12,000 E - English Conversation lesson

Would you want to live in a Castle? Just finished studying Magic TreeHouse http://www.amazon.com/Knight-Dawn-Magic-Tree-House/dp/067982412X 
Got the Castle bug?  Well let's go to this site and find out more!


http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/you-can-buy-a-czech-castle-for-dollar13000/ar-BBp4EAa?ocid=spartandhp

Vocabulary 
chateau 
mustard-hued
elaborate
ruin
 penniless 
history buff
career
municipalities
exclusively
renovations
overgrown
 bucolic
opulent
the roof sags
ripped-up parquet floors
stucco

Questions 
How did Natalia Makovik get into Real Estate?
How long does it take to sell one castle?
How much is the purchase price?
How much would the renovations cost? 
Why would you want to buy a castle? 
Would you want to live in the castle? 


Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach 

Renting an Apartment Do's and Don't's English conversation

Renting your first apartment is a big step in becoming a responsible adult.  Many people don't know how to find apartments and how to present themselves to their prospective landlord.  I remember the first time I rented an apartment.  It was a one-bedroom, for us three college students studying at UCLA.  I was the one who went out and found the apartment, met with the landlady.  I moved in the moment we signed the year long lease and had three days without electricty /or water!

Read this article and learn what to do, and what not to do when renting an apartment!
http://www.rookiemag.com/2014/02/how-to-rent-an-apartment

Key Terms

infuriating
literally
supervisors
gonna be - slang
conceivable arrangement
livable
mismatched 
griminess
quaint
 soul-punishingly bleak
 atop
discomfort
 inconvenience
 ceaseless parade
 arduous process
expectations
 serious money.
 guardian angel
stressy spiritual journey
fall in love
notoriously
 soul-crushingly expensive 
quirks
word-of-mouth recommendations
 pouncing
guarantor
hassle



Questions
What is your opinion about the author's first apartment? 
Would you live there? 
Do you like to live in a big city, or the country? 
What is the average rent in your city? 
Would you like to live in a different city?  Why? 
Is it as hard for you to find an apartment as the author of this article? 
Which do you prefer, furnished or unfurnished?
Which is the best city  to rent an apartment? 
Do you like to ask a Real Estate agent to help you?  Why or why not? 



English conversation lesson by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher 

Selling your home? Remodel the bathroom! English Conversation

English Conversation lesson about Real Estate and renovations.

As you might know, I used to be a real estate agent here in Israel, before the ignominious exit from Lebanon dropped the bottom out of the real estate market in the country for a few months. I made the exit from the real estate market at that time as well, and took up teaching English.  But it is difficult to say goodbye forever to the excitement of real estate.  So here is an article to help you sell your home!

Read this article and watch the video and discuss it with your English teacher http://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-tips-for-saving-money-on-your-home-125820548.html

Key Terms
unfathomable 
 to get the most value out of a home
folklore into fact
conventional wisdom 
crunched an enormous amount of data
 remodel
functionality
lowest returns on investment
 reach their peak 
bang for your buck
sharp spike 
agent contacts
slips on an ivy-green jacket
price-pointsmak
psychological pricing
the thousands digit 

Questions
According to the article, what is the conventional wisdom if you are going to re model your home? 
According to the data, which remodel brings in more value to the home? 
Which would you rather do? 
Do you like updated kitchens or bathrooms?
When is the best time according to conventional wisdom to sell your home? 
According to Zillow data, what is the "sweet spot?" 
Why would selling in March be better? 
How do you figure out the selling price of your home? 
What does Zillow's data say about this? 
Do you make a difference between $4.99 and $5.00? 
What are price of home like in your country? 
Are housing prices too high?  Why or why not? 
Can people really afford to move nowadays? 



Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher 

Noisy Neighbors a Problem? You are not alone! - English lesson

Noise can be a problem. Especially when the walls of your apartment building are very thin.  I remember the second apartment that we lived in here in Jerusalem.  The next door neighbor was a professional opera singer.  He was very good in fact, but I was not in the mood to hear tenor opera singing at 6:00am in the morning!  So it turns out that I'm not the only one! 

Read this article and be prepared to discuss it with your English teacher. 
http://www.which.co.uk/news/2014/09/one-in-four-people-have-nuisance-neighbours--376963/?cmp=RSS-GNS_376963 


Key Terms:
nuisance 
irritable
prevalent
annoyances 
 frustrations 
problematic
harmonious


Questions

According to the text which age group is least likely to get help for the problem of noisy neighbors? Why don't they get help?
Which government agency can they turn to? 
How was the survey carried out?
Is this a good way to get information, or is there another way that is more effective?
What annoyances topped the list? 
What is the best way to deal with noisy neighbors? 
Have you had a noisy neighbor in the past? 
What did you do? 
Was it effective? 
Did you ever try to "get back" at the noisy neighbor?  
Did what you did help or hurt the situation? 
Are there "quiet hours" in your neighborhood? 
When you talk to your neighbors about the noise, do they listen to you? 
Would you call the police if a neighbor had a noisy party too late at night?


Lesson plan by Rachael Alice Orbach - Professional English Teacher

Moving out may be harder than you Think! English lesson

The dream of young adulthood, moving out, living on your own, has be come just that - a dream.  Nearly two million young adults aged 20-34 still live with Mom and Dad in the home they grew up in. 

Read this article and discuss it with your English teacher: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/houseprices/10996825/Clipped-wing-generation-still-live-with-mum-and-dad.html

Key Terms: 

Clipped wing generation 

fly the nest.

the Census

A survey commissioned

hotspots

the figure is 42%

highlighted the case

a deposit

rollercoaster house prices

fluctuating

disheartening

inflate prices

stable homes

Questions 

Why are young adults being called the "Clipped Wing Generation?  

Is this a big problem?  Are they working? What are the feelings of these young adults? How does the fluctuating housing prices add to the problem?   What is the government of the UK doing to solve this problem? 

What is the average price for a starting apartment in your city? Is that considered expensive? Do you rent or own your home? 

If you are not living at home, when did you move out from your family home? Why? Was your first apartment expensive?  Do you live in the center of town, or in a suburb? Why did you choose to live in this area?  Are there adequate public services?  Schools, shops, and cultural activities? How long do you plan to stay at your present residence? 

Lesson Plan by Rachael Alice Orbach, Professional English Teacher