How to Read a Home Listing DC

There’s a good reason real estate listings are often devoid of vowels and full of odd abbreviations and acronyms. They’re written with quite a few abbreviations to save space.

Case in point: an ad that says “Prvt 3bd, 2ba, fdr, ofc, wbfp, CAC” costs a lot less than “Private, three bedroom, two bathroom house with a formal dining room, office, wood-burning fireplace and central air conditioning.”

Use our translation guide to help decode the lingo:

• AC or A/C: air conditioning
• aek: all electric kitchen
• appls: appliances
• ba: bathroom
• br: bedroom
• 4/3: four bedrooms, three bathrooms (could also appear as 4B/3B, or as 4/3/2 for four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a two-car garage)
• CA, CAC, CH and C/VAC: central air, central air conditioning, central heat and central vacuum
• cath ceil: cathedral ceiling
• c-d-s: cul de sac
• cp: carport
• d/d: dishwasher and garbage disposal unit
• det: detached
• dr/fdr: dining room, formal dining room
• DIY: do-it-yourselfer or fixer-upper
• eff kit: efficiency kitchen
• eh: house with ensuite
• eik: eat-in kitchen
• fag: forced air gas
• f/fin bsmt: fully finished basement
• fin w/o: finished walk-out
• fplc/fp or wbfp: fireplace, wood-burning fireplace
• FSBO: for sale by owner
• grmet kit: gourmet kitchen
• grt rm: great room
• hdwd or h/w: hardwood floors
• HUD: Department of Housing and Urban Development
• la: living area
• lr: living room
• neg: price is negotiable
• ofc: office
• oh: open house
• osp: off-street parking
• owc: owner will compromise
• pl, sp or s/p: swimming pool
  prvt: private or secluded
• q pos: quick possession
• rf: roof
• sf: square feet
• smart: a computer controls the lights, appliances, heat, cooling and alarm
• spac: spacious
• w/d or wd: washer/dryer
• wic: walk-in closet
• vus: views