Estate agents: Getting started
Let's start with some of the most important questions which you'll want to ask a new client, and some of the most common responses that you'll receive.
When we receive a visit or phonecall from a new client the first thing we're going to do is to talk in general terms about the type of property that they are looking for.
What type of property
- Quel type de propriété recherchez-vous?
What type of property are you looking for? - Quel type de propriété voulez-vous?
What type of property do you need? - Vous recherchez / voulez une propriété dans le centre-ville?
Do you want a property in the centre of the village? - Vous recherchez un appartement avec vue sur la mer?
Are you looking for an apartment with sea-views?
What the client wants
The client usually isn't shy and should tell us what they are looking for using sentences similar to these:
- Nous cherchons un appartament spacieux en première ligne
We're looking for a spacious apartment in the first sea line. - Nous cherchons une maison dans la campagne
We are looking for a house in the country. - Nous recherchons une maison dans les collines,
We are looking for a house in the hills/mountains. - Nous voulons une maison dans une zone tranquille
We want a house in a quiet area.
The typical structure is:
Nous cherchons + TYPE OF PROPERTY
Desirable locations:
- en première ligne
- dans la campagne
- dans les collines
- dans une zone tranquille
Let's go through a selection of properties
Whether it's in paper or in a digital format we'll usually go through a selection of properties with clients:
- Vous voulez voir les propriétés / biens que nous avons sur l'ordinateur?
Would you like to look on the computer at the properties that we have ? - Je vais vous montrer les biens / propriétés que nous avons
I'll show you the properties that we have.
That's not what we're looking for...
As we all know from experience, they'll be a lot of reasons why a client may not want to visit a particular property:
- Le prix est trop élevé.
The price is very high. - C'est trop cher.
It's very expensive. - Le prix n'est pas dans notre budget.
We don't want to pay so much - C'est trop grand pour nous.
It's too big for us . - Nous n'avons pas besoin de tant d'espace.
We don't need something so large.
Hopefully you won't hear:
- Les propriétés ne nous ont pas plu
We haven't liked any of the properties
Talking about the Property Market
Hopefully the market if strong where you are!:
- Cette année nous avons eu une forte augmentation de la demande
He have had a lot of sales this year. - Nous avons eu une forte augmentation de la demande ce mois-ci
We've sold many properties this month. - Je ne pense pas que les prix aillent (pronunciado ay) baisser encore.
I don't think that the prices will go down.
Thanks for visiting!
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.