Real Estate as an industry already has a ton of insider terms – down payments, listings, RESO, AOR, etc. – and then when it comes to actual houses and buildings, there'seven more jargon.
Accurately describing the features of a house is important – but if you don’t know the definitions of certain terms, you won’t get the full picture. Don't get caught confusing trim and crown molding, or pocket doors with French – here are 12 terms for house features you might not know, and their meanings.
1. French Doors-This refers to a doorway, typically consisting of a pair of doors, with windowpanes that extend the majority of the length and width. Many oftenmix this term up with…
2.Pocket doors-Typically an interior door that slides into a compartment in an adjacent wall. The compartment distinguishes "pocket" doors from "sliding" doors, whichare any doors that move horizontally with a sliding motion, rather than turn on hinges.
3.Bay Window-A window space or alcove that extends outward from an exterior wall. The name comes from the French term "baee," referring to an opening or hole (rather than, as is oftenassumed, meaning "the big window that overlooks the bay").
4.Mother-in-law apartment-Not always literal (though it can be), this is a dwelling unit either attached or detached from the main property that typically includes its own kitchen, bathroom, and separate entrance. Other common terms for this include in-law suite, guest house, granny flat, carriage house, and in some cases an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit).
5.Common Area-The part of a building or complex that is not owned by one specific resident, butis often accessible to all occupants.
6.Crown molding-You wouldn't think "mold" would be a positive attribute, but crown molding is a decorative element of ornate trim that covers the seam between the ceiling and walls. Crown molding is often confused with simple "trim," which also covers the ceiling and wall seam, but is less elaborate and tends to be made of several pieces.
7.Chair rail-A chair rail is trim much further down the wall – often placed close to the middle. Think of crown molding as above the head, like a crown would be, and a chair rail as approximately the height of a standard dining room chair. Below a chair rail, you often find…
8.Wainscoting-This fancy-sounding word suggests a stuffy British costume drama, but it refers to interior wall paneling, often made of wood, that covers the lower part of a wall. It’s usuallypartitioned from the higher part of the wall via a chair rail.
9.Clerestory-If this sounds ecclesiastical, that's because it is! "Clerestory" refers to a window or group of windows located above eye-level. These windows are great for allowing light in, and for bird and squirrel-watching, without worrying about anyone from your neighborhood being able to see inside the home.
10.Open concept-Also known as "open floorplan," this term sounds very close to what it describes – an open area that favors large space, few walls or divisions, and avoids small, enclosed spaces.
11.Stainless steel-"Stainless steel" tends to refer to the material encasing large appliances in a home, such as the refrigerator, dishwasher, dryer, etc. These are popular because of their uniform, shiny varnish, plus their longevity – "stainless" refers to their resistance to rusting.
12.LEED-LEED stands for "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design." It is an international rating and certification process with a multi-tiered rating system measuring the environmental impact of buildings – including residential houses. LEED-certified buildings are also designed to be resistant to adverse weather conditions.
Hopefully your real estate vocabulary has been enhanced, and you’re better fit to fully understand a written description or an agent’s jargon. The more you know about the terms used to describe a home or property, the closer you are to finding exactly what it is you’relooking for.
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