4B/2B -- This means that the house has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. A bedroom will generally be a room with a door, a window, and a closet that is large enough to fit a person's bed and dresser. The bathroom in this case constitutes a full bathroom, which means that it has a bathtub, a toilet, and a sink. There are other types of partial bathrooms that come in some houses, but they will usually be explained in the listing.

assum. fin. -- Assumable financing. This means that the new owner is able to assume an existing mortgage when purchasing the house.

Closing Costs: The definition of this varies in each individual state, as different places have a different definition of closing. The basic idea, however, is that the closing costs are the extra expenses that are paid for by the buyer and the seller at the end of the transaction. This can include things like the broker's commission, paperwork, attorney's fees, transfer fees, and various taxes. Basically, there will be a list of expenses that will come from various places once the deal is done. This is usually paid through escrow, which means that both parties will put money into a fund that is held by a third party and the third party pays these fees with this money. 

CMA -- This is the comparative market analysis or competitive market analysis and it allows you to see the prices of homes that are similar to yours and how much they sold for. This will allow you to see what kind of deal you got on your home.

Contingency -- This is a clause that allows for an agreement to be postponed until certain conditions are met. For example, a sale could be contingent on something on the house being fixed and the deal will not be officially finalized until that portion of the house is fixed. The buy will then have the opportunity to void the contract if the seller does not uphold his or her part of this agreement.

dk -- This means that the home features a deck.

Expansion pot'l -- This stand for expansion potential, which means that the house can easily be expanded into a much larger house. In many cases, this means that there is plenty of space on the lot for expansion, or something it can mean that the house could support another level.

Fab Pentrm -- This stands for fabulous pentroom, which is a room at the very top of the building that offers a unique view.

FDR -- This is a formal dining room, which is a room for eating that is separate from the kitchen.

Fixture -- This can be a number of things that are permanently a part of the property and, therefore, are owned by the homeowner. This is usually things like trees and plants, but is could also mean a separate garage, a shed, or even a guesthouse. These things are not portable, which makes them part of the property, rather than personal property of the owner. What constitutes a fixture is important because it can impact your property taxes, so make sure you get a list of everything that can be considered a fixture before buying.

Frplc, fplc, FP -- A fireplace within the home. This can be either gas, electric, or wood, so make sure it is the type that you want before buying.

Gar -- A garage. Sometimes the advertisement will tell you how many cars will fit in the garage or whether it is attached or detached.

Grmet kit -- A gourmet kitchen, which is a kitchen that has a variety of professional features.

HDW, HWF, Hdwd -- This means hardwood floors, which increase the value of a home because of their longevity.

Hi ceils -- This simply means that the interior of the house has high ceilings.

In-law potential -- This means that the house has the potential to house an in-law suite. What this usually means is that is has a self-contained basement that could be transformed into a suite easily.

Large E-2 plan -- Each building has different floor plans and this is one of the most common that you will find.

Listing -- A listing is not what most people believe it is, as the majority of people believe that it is the actual advertisement that you see on a house. A listing, however, is actually the agreement between the homeowner and the real estate broker that the broker will arrange for the sale of the house. The term can also refer to the actual house once it has been put on the market.

Lo dues -- This means that the homeowners association's dues are low, but the term low is obviously subjective, so get the actual rates rather than believing this term.

Lock box -- This is a box that is placed outside of a listed house that gives the real estate broker access to the home when the current owner is not home. This is done so that the home can be shown at anytime, although permission is still needed to access the residence.

Lsd pkg. -- This is an area of the lease where parking is included in the agreement. It gives the tenant the right to a parking area near the building, although it is subject to additional costs.

MLS -- This means Multiple Listing Service. This allows for brokers to post their advertisements on this system and gives people the opportunity to view them all in one place.

Nr bst schls -- This means that the home is near the best schools. Be sure to research which schools are near because both near and best are subjective terms.

Pot'l -- This means potential and is used to describe something that could easily be added to the property.

Pvt -- This stands for private and is used to highlight the privacy of the property.

Pwdr rm -- This is a half bathroom or powder room, which means that there is a room with only a toilet and a sink.

Title Insurance -- This is an insurance policy that is meant to protect the mortgage lender in case something goes wrong with the repayment process. In many cases, the buyer will pay for this insurance since the lender is taking a significant risk on behalf of the buyer.

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