Vocabulary · 37 words
TOEIC Vocabulary: Housing and corporate property (37 Words with Examples)
Expect rental listings, lease renewals, notices about building maintenance and office relocations.
Free extract from the Noto Tracks TOEIC course
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| lease | noun / verb | a rental contract; to rent | We signed a five-year lease for the office. |
| tenant | noun | a person or company that rents a property | Tenants must park in the rear lot. |
| landlord | noun | the owner who rents out a property | The landlord agreed to repaint the lobby. |
| property | noun | a building or land that someone owns | The company owns several properties downtown. |
| renovation | noun | work to repair and improve a building | The renovation of the third floor is complete. |
| utilities | plural noun | services such as water, gas and electricity | Rent includes all utilities except internet. |
| maintenance | noun | work to keep something in good condition | Call maintenance if the heating stops working. |
| premises | plural noun | a building and the land around it | Smoking is not allowed on the premises. |
| vacant | adjective | empty; not occupied | Two units in the building are vacant. |
| square foot / meter | noun | a unit of floor area | The warehouse has 20,000 square feet of space. |
| relocate | verb | to move to a new place | The design team will relocate to the fifth floor. |
| real estate agent | noun phrase | a person who helps people buy, sell or rent property | Our real estate agent found three possible sites. |
| facility | noun | a building used for a particular purpose | The new training facility opens in August. |
| security deposit | noun phrase | money paid before renting, returned later | The security deposit equals one month's rent. |
| occupy | verb | to live or work in a space | The law firm occupies the top two floors. |
| homeowner | noun | a person who owns their home | Homeowners in the area can apply for a grant to install solar panels. |
| residence | noun | the place where someone lives | The former hotel will be converted into a private residence for senior citizens. |
| residential | adjective | containing homes rather than offices or factories | The new apartments are in a quiet residential area close to the station. |
| renter | noun | a person who pays to live in a property | Renters must give the building manager two months' notice before moving out. |
| realtor | noun | a person who sells property for others | Our realtor found a suitable warehouse within a week of our first meeting. |
| condominium | noun | an apartment that is individually owned | The developer plans to build a twenty-story condominium near the waterfront. |
| suburb | noun | a residential area outside a city center | Many staff members moved to the suburbs, where housing is more affordable. |
| basement | noun | a floor of a building below ground level | Extra office furniture is stored in the basement until the renovation is finished. |
| balcony | noun | a platform on the outside wall of a building | Every unit on the upper floors has a private balcony with a view of the bay. |
| ceiling | noun | the top inside surface of a room | The lobby has high ceilings and large windows that let in natural light. |
| hallway | noun | a passage inside a building | Please keep the hallway clear of boxes while the painters are working. |
| spacious | adjective | having a lot of space | The spacious three-bedroom apartment is available for rent from June 1. |
| furnish | verb | to put furniture in a room or building | The landlord agreed to furnish the office with desks and filing cabinets. |
| plumber | noun | a worker who fixes water pipes | We called a plumber because the kitchen sink would not drain. |
| carpenter | noun | a worker who builds things with wood | A carpenter will install new shelves in the storage room on Monday. |
| remodel | verb | to change the structure or look of a building | The owners plan to remodel the ground floor into a modern reception area. |
| demolish | verb | to completely destroy a building | The old factory will be demolished to make room for a shopping center. |
| lawn | noun | an area of short grass around a building | Tenants are not responsible for mowing the lawn; the management company handles it. |
| leak | noun | a hole or crack that lets water or gas escape | Please report any leak in the ceiling to the maintenance office immediately. |
| adjacent | adjective | next to or near something | The company bought the adjacent lot to build a larger parking area. |
| amenity | noun | a useful or pleasant feature of a place | Amenities in the building include a rooftop garden, a gym, and bicycle storage. |
| architect | noun | a person who designs buildings | The architect showed us drawings of the new headquarters building. |
Collocations: renew a lease · undergo renovation · carry out maintenance · move into new premises · office space for rent.
Heard: "The elevators will be out of service on Saturday while technicians work on them."
Answer: "Some maintenance work is scheduled." — the specific situation becomes a general category.
Extra words from the TOEIC Service List (TSL 1.2) by Browne, Culligan & Phillips, newgeneralservicelist.com. Meanings and example sentences by Noto. This word list is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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