CMA - Comparative Market Analysis or Competitive Market Analysis. A CMA is a report
that show prices of homes that are comparable to a subject home and that were recently
sold, are currently on the market or were on the market, but not sold within the
listing period.
condo - condominium
dbl - double
det - detached
dk - deck
elf - existing light fixtures
exp - exposure
expansion pot'l - expansion potential mean that there is extra space on the lot or
the possibility of adding a room or even an upper level, subject to local zoning
restrictions
ext - exterior
fab pentrm - fabulous pentroom, a room on top (but under the roof) that has great
views
fdr - formal dining room
fin. bsmt - finished basement
fixer-upper - a real-estate property that will requires maintenance work (redecoration,
reconstruction or redesign) though it usually can be lived in as it is.
fixture - anything of value that is permanently attached to or part of real property
flipping - purchasing a revenue-generating property and quickly reselling (or "flipping")
it for profit.
fncd - fenced
frplc, fpl, fplc, fp - fireplace
fsbo - for sale by owner
full bathroom - room with a toilet, a sink and a bathtub
gar - garage
gard, gdn - garden
grmet kit - gourmet kitchen
half bathroom - also known as "powder room"; has only a toilet and a sink
Reading a real estate listing is sometimes comparable to deciphering an ancient alphabet.
What do they mean with all those abbreviations and acronyms? Here are some examples
with explanations to help you out.
4B/2B - Four bedrooms and two bathrooms
a/c - air conditioning
Amenities - benefits of a property, especially those that increase its attractiveness
or value or that contribute to its comfort or convenience
apt - apartment
appls - appliances
assum. fin - assumable financing
balc - balcony
bsmt - basement
ba, bth, bthrm - bathroom
br, bdrm - bedroom
bldg - building
bung - bungalow
cac - central air conditioning
contingency - a provision of an agreement that keeps the agreement from being fully
legally binding until a certain condition is met.
cvac, c/vac - central vacuum
Search The Public Toronto MLS Yourself
What homes or condos are available in your price range in the neighbourhood of your
choice? You can view publicly available information about Toronto home listings below.
This is a fantastic first step to orientate yourself about the housing market in
the GTA. You can even add amenities (such as schools, public transportation, parks,
et cetera) to the map. Tip: limit your price range (from/to), otherwise too many
properties will show up, slowing down your searches.
When you are ready to take your house hunt to the next level, we strongly advise
you to subscribe to our MLS Listings E-mail Service(free, without any obligations
and guaranteed no Spam) to receive daily updates of new homes for sale that meets
your criteria. Next to convenient, this service could also gives you a head start
above other buyers when a hot property hits the market.
HomeLife/Cimerman Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
Rick McGuigan & Robert Holbrook -Real Estate Sales Representatives -Phone: 416-569-0846
If you see a property that is of interest to you and you would like more information
about the listing or you would like to make an appointment to see the home personally,
it is in your best interest to call a real estate agent of your own choice, instead
of the selling agent. There are no costs to you. Please call us at 416-569-0846.
Real Estate Lingo
housing bubble -a type of economic bubble that occurs periodically in local or global
real estate markets. It is characterized by rapid increases in valuations of real
property until they reach unsustainable levels and then decline
in-law potential - potential for a separate apartment, subject to local zoning restrictions
listing - an agreement between a real estate broker and a home owner that allows
the broker to market and arrange for the sale of the owner's home. The word "listing"
is also used to refer to the for-sale home itself. A home being sold by the owner
without a real estate agent is not a "listing"
lock box - locked key-holding device affixed to a for-sale home so that real estate
professionals can gain entry into the home after obtaining permission from the listing
agent
lo dues - low home owner's association dues
lsd pkg - leased parking area
MLS - Multiple Listing Service. An MLS is an organization that collects, compiles
and distributes information about homes listed for sale by its members, who are real
estate brokers
nr bst schls - near the best schools
ph - penthouse
pot'l - potential
prkg - parking
pvt, priv - private
pwdr rm - half bathroom or powder room
real property - real estate is legally called "real property", while movables are
called "personal property"
reno - renovated
rm - room
sep entr - separate entrance
sol - solarium
three-quarter bathroom - has a toilet, a sink and a shower
TLC (needs) - needs tender loving care (often a tear down)
