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Unit 7

HOUSING

CULTURAL POINTS

Owning their own house on their own piece of land is very
important to Americans, but they are very mobile and often move
every few years. In cities, they tend to rent until later in life, and
buy only when they are fairly settled or starting a family. Because
there is so much more space in the U.S. for building, and land in
most places is not very expensive, houses take up more land than
they do in many other countries.
There are a few large, densely populated cities like New York
where people pay very high prices for rather small living spaces,
but this is not the usual situation.

THE ALL-AMERICAN HOUSE

Although there are many different types of houses in the
United States, with variations depending on area and income level,
the typical American house is recognizable across the country. An
average, middle-class American home in an average, middle-class
neighborhood will be a mid-sized building on its own plot of land,
with a front lawn that is neat and well tended. (Neighbors will
often complain if someone's lawn is overgrown or untidy.)
There will be a driveway and a covered garage, often attached
to the house that can hold two cars. Sometimes there is just a
carport, or a carport in front of a garage, which is a space with a
roof over it but no walls. Porches are common, especially in areas
where the weather is mild. The backyard will similarly have a
well-kept lawn, and might feature a patio or deck area with a
barbecue and a table and chairs.
Americans may have a garden - a place where flowers or
vegetables are grown - in their yards, but they do not call the land
around the house a garden.