Real Estate Abbreviations Drive Home Shoppers Crazy

Realtors have developed their own codes, abbreviations, short cuts and metaphors to describe features and ammenties found in homes. While some like FP or 3/2/2 make logical sense, others leave their home shopping audience, dazed and confused. To make matters more maddening, their code is unstandardized and differs widely depending what part of the country you live in.

As a Monday diversion exercise, I attempted to decode a few classified ad's. After a few phone calls and a few laughs, I decided to blog some of the code with you today. Enjoy!

Home for Sale #1: Splt 3/2/att 2. wbfp, fl rm, mom, gmt kit, secsy, sd/w, I/G pl & much more.

Translation: 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath split level home with attached 2 car garage. Wood burning Fireplace, Master Bedroom on Main Level, Gourmet Kitchen, Security System, Storm Doors and Windows, Inground Pool and much more.

Home for Sale #2: 2/2/Cal Bung. w/ 1 CRPRT. 1100 HSF. HDWD FL under W/W CPT. New app. & HWH. Needs TLC

Translation: 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath California style Bungalow with a one vehicle Carport. The home has 1100 heated square feet. There are hardwood floors under the wall to wall carpet. New appliances and Hot Water Heater. This home needs a ton of work.

I realize that newspapers charge outrageous fee's for a line in the classifieds and Realtors do sell items with a lot of special features to describe, but some of these left me in pain from LOL. How many ways are there to describe ...?

Parking for your Car:
Gar -----------------------Garage
g/a or Att Gar ------------Garage is Attached to your home
G/D or Det Gar -----------Garage is Detached from your home
CRPRT -------------------Carport or Covered Parking
1 C or 2 C ----------------1 Car or 2 Car
Off ----------------------Off Street Parking
Multi --------------------3+ Car Garage
Over --------------------Oversized Garage
RV Prkg------------------RV Parking Allowed
SPC----------------------Drive Parking Space
STR----------------------Street Parking
CVGA--------------------Converted Garage (ie: Garage has been converted to a Living area)
FROG--------------------Finished Room over the Garage
GDO, GAROP, EGDO-----Garage Door Opener, Remote GDO, Extra GDO
ASRSV--------------------Assigned, Reserved Parking

What's Cookin in the Kitchen?:
Kit or Kt------------------Kitchen
Brkf----------------------Breakfast Area
Bi D/W or D/W---------- Built in Disherwasher (Not built in?)
DSP--------------------- Garbage Disposal
E or G Rng---------------Electric or Gas Range
Gmt Kit------------------Gourmet Kitchen
SS App-------------------Stainless Steel Appliances
Meik---------------------Modern Eat in Kitchen
Mk-----------------------Modern Kitchen
MWV or Micro-----------Microwave
Pan-----------------------Pantry
Ref------------------------Refrigerator
Sft------------------------ Water Softener
Trc----------------------- Trash Compactor
Stv------------------------Stove
R/O-----------------------Reverse Osmosis (Water Purifier)

2 fun. C mor on Tues