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Real Estate Adspeak

Alan | South Atlanta Real Estate, Tips and Advice | Wednesday, 19 November 2008

So I’m sitting down reading my way through one of the magazines that real estate agents place pictures and descriptions of the properties they are listing for sale.  Most of the homes I list for sale are in Henry, Clayton or Butts counties and I tend to rotate around between Homes Locator, The Real Estate Book and Southside Marketplace to advertise my listings.  I also dabble in TV a bit.  As I’m scanning along my eye catches a listing and in the description I find probably one of the worst examples of real estate lingo… ever!  It goes something like this “3br/2ba, FP, AEK, 2300SF, FDR, W/W, CAC, FROG”.  Yes, I too was shaking my head.  Most of them I knew or could figure out, but “FROG”.  What the heck is FROG?  Do I want my house to have FROG?  I do my best to avoid as much jargon and acronyms as possible in my advertising but some of my cohorts out there are going a bit overboard sometimes. 

So after much digging and calling around I find out FROG is “Finished Room Over Garage”.   As I’m scratching my head wondering how in the heck anyone could of figured out that one, it occurred to me that there is probably a lot of jargon we use that we assume everyone understands.  So here is my best effort at clarifying real estate adspeak. 

  • 4B/2B – Bedrooms / Bathrooms goodandempty.jpg
  • 4 SD BRK – Four Sides Brick
  • AGP – Above Ground Pool
  • ASSUM FIN – Assumable Financing
  • AEK – All Electric Kitchen
  • APR – Annual Percentage Rate
  • BR – Bedrooms
  • BKYD – Back Yard
  • BKFST – Breakfast Area
  • BSMT – Basement
  • BATH, BTH – Bathrooms
  • CAC, CA, CH - Central Air Conditioning, Central Air/Heat
  • CP - Car Port
  • C-D-S – Cul De Sac
  • CRMC – Ceramic Flooring
  • CNR LT – Corner Lot
  • CMA – Comparable Market Analysis (What most agents give you when working with you to set the price of your home for sale)
  • DK – Deck
  • DW – Dish Washer
  • DA – Dining Area
  • DR- Dining Room
  • DET – Detached Garage
  • EH – Entry Hall
  • EIK – Eat In Kitchen
  • FROG – Finished Room Over Garage (Gimme a break!)
  • FLR – Formal Living Room
  • FDR – Formal Dining Room
  • FP,FPLC, FR PLC - Fire Place
  • FSBO – For Sale By Owner
  • GRMT KIT – Gourmet Kitchen
  • GAR - Garage
  • GARD - Garden
  • GRT RM, GR - Great Room
  • HWF, HDWD, HDW – Hardwood Floors
  • HOA – Home Owners Association
  • HUD - (Department of) Housing and Urban Development
  • HVAC – Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning
  • HI CEL – High Ceilings
  • IGP – In Ground Pool
  • ILS- In Law Suite
  • KP RM – Keeping Room
  • KIT, KTCH – Kitchen
  • LR - Living Room
  • LA - Living Area
  • LO DU – Low HOA Dues
  • LSD PRK – Leased Parking (expect additional cost)
  • MLS – Multiple Listing Service
  • MBR – Master Bedroom
  • MBTH - Master Bathroom
  • NR BST SCH – Near the Best Schools
  • NC – New Construction
  • OH – Open House
  • OFC - Office
  • OBO – Or Best Offer
  • POT’L COM – Potential Commercial
  • PVT – Private
  • PVC FC – Privacy Fence
  • PWDR, PWDR RM – Powder Room (Fancy word for a half bath)
  • PTO – Patio
  • RE – Real Estate
  • SD – School District
  • SR, SIT RM - Sitting Room
  • SPK SYS- Sprinkler System
  • SPAC – Spacious
  • SF – Square Feet
  • UPR – Upper Floor(s)
  • VU, VW, VWS, VUS – Views
  • VLT – Vaulted (Ceilings)
  • W/W, WW – Wall to Wall Carpet
  • W/D, WD – Washer and Dryer
  • WB – Wood Burning
  • WIC – Walk In Closet

This is not the entire list by far.  Our industry tends to make up new words daily.  If you still are looking for a real estate word or definition a handy place is www.realestatewords.com.