Real Estate Acronyms

Seems like every article you read has some mysterious abbreviation (or acronym) for a term in it.  Sometimes I puzzle myself for a long time trying to figure out what it means.  I think the shortening of words and phrases began when placing classified ads, and you had to pay per character.  Now, with texting and instant messaging, it’s just quicker and easier to abbreviate often said terms.

Real Estate is no different .. according to Acronym Guide there are a lot of real estate related acronyms.  To give you a short-cut, I’m going to explain a few of them for you here.

BFP – Bona Fide Purchaser
BRR – Book Rate of Return
CAM – Common Area Maintenance (charges related to commercial leases)
CC – Civil Code
CGT – Capital Gains Tax
CH/BW – Chain Link/Barbed Wire
CO – Certificate of Occupancy
COE – Cost of Equity
CUV – Current Use Value
DIM – Deferred-Interest Mortgage
DRC – Depreciated Replacement Cost
DS – Due on Sale (clause)
EAL – Exclusive Agency Listing
ERV – Estimated Rental Value
FDR – Formal Dining Room
FMV – Fair Market Value
FP – Fireplace
FPM – Flexible-Payment Mortgage
FRM – Fixed-Rate Mortgage
FRV – Full Rental Value
FSBO – For Sale By Owner
GPM – Graduated Payment Mortgage
GRM – Gross Rent Multiplier
HDW – Hardwood Floors
HECM – Home Equity Conversion Mortgage
HEL – Home Equity Loan
HOA – Home Owners’ Association
HUD – (Department of) Housing and Urban Development
HWF – Hardwood Floors
HVAC – Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
MBB – Mortgage-Backed Bond
MBO – Mortgage-Backed Obligation
MBS – Mortgage-Backed Security
MGIC – Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation
MLS – Multiple Listing Service
MMI – Mutual Morgage Insurance
MPC – Master Planned Community
MRA – Master Residential Appraiser
MSA – Master Senior Appraiser
NIA – Net Internal Area
NIM – Net Income Multiplier
NLA – Net Leasable Area
NNN – Triple Net (Lease)
NOI – Net Operating Income
NPV – Net Present Value
NRV – Net Realizable Value
OBO – Or Best Offer
OER – Operating Expense Ratio
OIRO – Offers In the Region Of…
PCD – Planned Commercial Development
PEPS – Political, Economic, Physical, Social (forces that drive value)
PHA – Public Housing Administration
PID – Planned Industrial Development
PITI – Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance
PMDT – Purchase Money Deed of Trust
PMI – Private Mortgage Insurance
PO – Principal Only
PSF – Per Square Foot
PV – Present Value
PW – Present Worth
RAM – Reverse Annuity Mortgage
REA – Reciprocal Easement Agreement
REIT – Real Estate Investment Trust
REC – Real Estate Commission
REO – Real Estate Owned
ROM – Roll-Over Mortgage
SAM – Shared-Appreciation Mortgage
SEM – Shared-Equity Mortgage
SFD – Single Family Detached
TPL – Third Party Liability
TI – Tenant Improvement
TIC – Tenants In Common
TIP – Treasury Investment Program
TRA – Tax Reform Act
VA – Veterans Administration (Loan)
VAP – Variable Payment (Mortgage)
VAT – Value Added Tax
VPM – Variable-Payment Mortgage
VRE – Virtual Real Estate
VRM – Variable-Rate Mortgage

Check in tomorrow for common abbreviations used in the real estate market.