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
- 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
- Master: largest bedroom. Sometimes called the principal or primary bedroom
- En suite: bedroom with private bathroom/shower room
- Box room: very small room
Image: David Fowler/Dreamstime
