61 Real Estate abbreviations and acronyms

Here are some examples with explanations to help you out!

4B/2B – Four bedrooms and two bathrooms

a/c – air conditioning

apt – apartment

appls – appliances

assum. fin – assumable financing

balc – balcony

bsmt – basement

ba, bth, bthrm – bathroom

br, bdrm – bedroom

bldg – building

bung – bungalow

cac – central air conditioning

contingency – a provision of an agreement that keeps the agreement from being fully legally binding until a certain condition is met

cvac, c/vac – central vacuum

CMA – Comparative Market Analysis or Competitive Market Analysis. A CMA is a report that shows prices of homes that are comparable to a subject home and that were recently sold, are currently on the market or were on the market, but not sold within the listing period

condo – condominium

dbl – double

det – detached

dk – deck

elf – existing light fixtures

exp – exposure

expansion pot’l – expansion potential mean that there is extra space on the lot or the possibility of adding a room or even an upper level, subject to local zoning restrictions

ext – exterior

fab pentrm – fabulous pentroom, a room on top (but under the roof) that has great views

fdr – formal dining room

fin. bsmt – finished basement

fixture – anything of value that is permanently attached to or part of real property

fncd – fenced

frplc, fpl, fplc, fp – fireplace

fsbo – for sale by owner

full bathroom – room with a toilet, a sink and a bathtub

gar – garage (www.househuntingintoronto.com)

gard, gdn – garden

grmet kit – gourmet kitchen

half bathroom – also known as “powder room”; has only a toilet and a sink

hdw, hwf, hdwd – hardwood floors

hi ceils – high ceilings

in-law potential – potential for a separate apartment, subject to local zoning restrictions

listing – an agreement between a real estate broker and a home owner that allows the broker to market and arrange for the sale of the owner’s home. The word “listing” is also used to refer to the for-sale home itself. A home being sold by the owner without a real estate agent is not a “listing”

lock box – locked key-holding device affixed to a for-sale home so that real estate professionals can gain entry into the home after obtaining permission from the listing agent

lo dues – low home owner’s association dues

lsd pkg – leased parking area

MLS – Multiple Listing Service. An MLS is an organization that collects, compiles and distributes information about homes listed for sale by its members, who are real estate brokers

nr bst schls – near the best schools

ph – penthouse

pot’l – potential

prkg – parking

pvt, priv – private

pwdr rm – half bathroom or powder room

real property – real estate is legally called “real property”, while movables are called “personal property”

reno – renovated

rm – room

sep entr – separate entrance

sol – solarium

three-quarter bathroom – has a toilet, a sink and a shower

twnhse – townhouse

upr – upper floor

vw, vu, vws, vus – view(s)

w/w – wall to wall

w/d – washer / dryer

yd, yrd – yard