Common words used by estate agents
Estate agents use lots of special ways to describe property. Here are some of the most common:
RENTING
- PCM: Per calendar month
- PW: Per week
- Prof: Professional
- C/tax: Council tax
- WTR: water
- Bedsit/ bedsitter: room used as bedroom and living room combined, within a shared house. Usually has own kitchen, but not own bathroom
BUYING
- SSTC or STC: Sold (subject to contract). The property owner has accepted an offer on the property, but no legal contracts have been exchanged
- Shared ownership: government scheme that helps people buy a home
- Leasehold: A long-term set of rights to property that someone else owns
- Freehold: You own the property and the land
- Service charges: Money you have to pay for services like lifts, gardens, porters (concierges) and general maintenance. Service charges can be very expensive!
- Ground rent: Regular rental payment for leasehold property. Sometimes just £1 a month, sometimes very expensive.
- EPC: energy performance certificate
- POA: price on application
- Neg.: negotiable
- OIRO: Offers in the region of
- OIEO: Offers in excess of
TYPES OF PROPERTY
- Detached: not joined to another building
- Semi: joined to a building on 1 side
- Terrace: joined to buildings on 2 sides
- Staggered terrace: joined to buildings on 2 sides, at different levels
- Link detached: a small part of the house (often the garage) is joined to another building
- Townhouse: tall, thin building, usually 3 floors or more
- Flat: apartment
- Penthouse: apartment at top of the building
- Maisonette: apartment across 2 levels, often with own door to the street
- Duplex: apartment across 2 levels
- Split-level: apartment or house with different levels
- Mansion flat: apartment in old purpose-built brick building
- Conversion: apartment created within an older building
- Studio: apartment without separate bedroom
- Pied-a-terre: very small city flat (aimed at people who have another home)
- Bungalow: house with one level
- Cul de sac: road you cannot drive through
- Park home: static caravan on a site with other caravans
PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
- Area: The area of a house varies depending on what provides the information. Building surveys will give the area within the walls, as this is what is to be insured (the gross floor area). Estate agents usually give figures that exclude non-room spaces, like hallways, landings, attics or corridors. This is a net floor area and should only be used as a guide.
- No chain: The person selling the property is not trying to buy another property. Sometimes called no upper chain/no onward chain
- GCH or GFCH: gas central heating
- OCH or OFCH: oil central heating
- STPP: subject to planning permission
- VGC: very good condition
- WC: room with only a toilet and hand basin
- Executive: modern, bigger than average
- Double fronted: windows either side of the front door
- Bay fronted: bay window at the front
- Dual aspect: windows on two sides
- Mezzanine: upper level within a big room
- Cloakroom: downstairs toilet room
- Reception room: dining/sitting room on ground floor
- Lounge: sometimes called a sitting room or drawing room
- Principal: largest bedroom. Sometimes called the master or primary bedroom
- En suite: bedroom with private bathroom/shower room
- Box room: very small room
Image: David Fowler/Dreamstime
