So with some prodding I am starting a thread to list all the abbreviations that come across my desk from clients and agents. This is to help on both sides. For my side, I will be using this to help MSV's staff better understand what is being said so there is not as many returns for explanations. For your side, I hope it can explain some of the terminology that are in your communications with the dark side of the business.

From experience with the client side, These are the ones I see the most:

o/a: Origination appraisal
DNA: Subject characteristics
Prior: Any order that was done previously (usually clients only request priors to be considered within the last 6 months)
Dual/Duplicate - An order placed at the same time to get 2 opinions and reconcile a value.
APN: Tax ID, Parcel #, PIN
GLA: Above ground heated sq ft - usually, (It can vary from client to client), even if the basement is finished, clients do not want it counted unless it is more than 75% above ground.
Radius: Proximity
Unqualified sale: Any sale that is not an arms length transaction.
Historical data: Means they have a prior appraisal that was not for the original loan
Kwickset Key: Specific key type that you can have made from a local locksmith and will gain access to any house coded with that lock set (BB)
Projected Value: As is value doesn't match with what market trends state.


The ones I see from agents: (In order from Serious to just plain weird) If you guys can fill some these in for me where I have left blank it will greatly help me.

Jack and Jill Bedrooms:
WBS: Woodburning Stove
COP: Covered open Porch
SP: Screend Porch
IGP : Inground Pool
AGP : Above ground pool
UGRES: ? Still need to know what this one is.
CBH: Cinderblock House
Patio House: I have an idea but a more defined response would help educate QC
Villa
Florida Room
Michigan Basement
Sound: (Something to do with water and ocean front property need a better explanation)
MBL: Man built Lake
Homepath: I have a vauge idea about this one but would like to see if someone can give me a clarified one.
Water Trench:
Redemption: From what I understand this means the person that previously owned the property can file cause to reclaim it within a certain time period. Please correct this if wrong.
RELO: (Yes RELO, not REO) Was advised this was a type of Relocation sale. Need more clarification
Hunny-Shack: I was told this was a popular type of building in TN for someone who carried on a side relationship. No way to confirm it though so any answers would be appreciated.

Thanks for everyone that helps. I think this will go a long way for both sides.

J~

Jack and Jill Bedrooms: 2 bedrooms that are connected by and share a bathroom.

Here are my suggestions:

Jack and Jill Bedrooms: also know as a continental bath (it is between the two bedrooms or between the master bedroom and the hall.)
UGRES: My guess - underground sprinkler system?
Patio House: Single level detached house on a small lot, usually landscaping is maintained by HOA. (Marketed to empty nesters)
Villa - large estate type house
Florida Room - sun room or possibly enclosed pool room
Homepath: Special financing terms available on a FannieMae owned house through FannieMae (local lenders can provide these financing programs)
Water Trench - seasonal canal for irrigation water?
RELO: (Yes RELO, not REO) Was advised this was a type of Relocation sale. Previous owner could possibly have had incentives provided by employing company to move, some times (but rarely) these days the relocation company will buy-out the owner so they can move to their new city and buy a house. The new owner gets their equity, if any, or the relo company sells at a loss. There are usually incentives involved here to the current seller/owner of the property and all offers are subject the acceptance of the relocation company too.

Sound- generally a body of water that lies between a coastal barier island and the mainland........common in parts of Florida.

In FL a Villa is a free standing Condo. Similar to a SFH but can be an attached villa (usually only 2 units that connect at the garage) or a detached villa which is a SFH. In FL they are NOT large estates and are usually maintenance free.

In FL homes are commonly built with CBS (Concrete Block and Stucco).

RELO is for Relocation company. If someone has a RELO clause in an employment contract the RELO company will sell their house for them if transferred. (We do a lot of these) if it does not sell within a specific amount of time the RELO company will buy it from the owner for a predetermined price then they sell it themselves. Which makes it technically an REO but not a foreclosure.

Florida room is a room with a large amount of glass (typically called a sun room in other areas however, many Florida rooms are converted lanais (A lanai is a screen enclosed porch under roof that is not air conditioned) If the Lanai was converted with a permit and is Air Conditioned it adds to the total square footage under air. If it is enclosed and not air conditioned is does not add to Square footage. It is also common to add vinyl windows over the screens and not air condition them.

A sound. –noun 1. a relatively narrow passage of water between larger bodies of water or between the mainland and an island: Long Island Sound.
2. an inlet, arm, or recessed portion of the sea: Puget Sound.
Most of the Intracoastal waterway is actually a sound but is most often referred to as a bay.

Homepath is a type of finacing offered on certain HUD homes.

I was taught Jack and Jill bedrooms is when you have to walk through one bedroom to get to the other.

Water trench - may be the perimeter drain dug around the house to keep water out of the basement?

In California, according to Code, not CanDo, if you have to walk from one room into another, it cannot be a bedroom, even if it has a closet and window. If you are confused, think of 2 rooms in tandem, that will make it easier

I do agree with the previous posters, Jack and Jill have a bath between two bedrooms, typically, but not always, not accessible from the hallway.

RELO is relocation and as other posters have said, in an employment situation, the employer pays a company to assist in selling the house so the employee can relocate; if the house cannot be sold within a predetermined number of days, the relo company buys outright for a predetermined price and sells it on their dime, not the employee's. These are typically high-end homes, in good condition.

I haven't heard the term Jack and Jill bedrooms, but this arrangement is called "tandem" bedrooms around here.

Tandem bedrooms aren't found in new construction, but are quite common in older homes. As CanDo says, they probably wouldn't be considered legal bedrooms if one wanted to get real technical about it. But 100 years ago it was common for bedrooms to be built without closets...and to connect without hallways (or baths) between them.

http://www.dongardner.com/Jack_and_Jill_Bathrooms.aspx
About 39 layouts with "Jack and Jill Bath layout" from an architect.

Long day helping the kids fix up their just bought "fixer upper".

Forgot about the "tandem" term - guess thats what I was thinking of.

Jack & Jill bedrooms - Shared semi-private bath located "between" two bedrooms. The sink/s and toilet section of the bath typically have a door separating the tub/shower section of the bath. The idea behind this design was to allow for one occupant to bath with privacy, while aother occupant could be using the sink and toilet section of the bath. There is no access from the hall, as this is a semi-private bath for the two bedrooms.

UGRES: Maybe egress misspelled?

Not to add to the confusion, but FROG is a popular one around here. Finished room over garage.

I don't think it is. Its listed under water type.

Anybody have any clues?

under ground reserve tank?

How about

Under GRound Electrtic Supply. I bet that is it

UnderGround REServoir?

Ah - Frog is one I have seen and I figured that one out. Most places call them carriage houses, in law suites or Aux units though.

Not to be confused with pool houses, cottages, guest quarters or any of the other 25 things people call 2nd units on same property not over the garage.

Btw - If this doesn't explain a little why QC'rs get so confused with comments, it should. Just because you call something a specific name in your state, it doesn't mean its called that in any of the other states. Takes a long time to learn all the different names and abbreviations used.

J~

Trench - Moat. LOL

Ah - Here's one I had left off : TAT - Turn Around Time.

J~

Okay. I need help you wonderful people you.


All my TX agents out there... What in the name of all that is good is a 'Hollywood Bath'

Thanks!

Does this help?

Hollywood Bathroom

Are the terms "Cooking Closet" and "Lock-Offs" popular elsewhere in the description of Condominiums in resort areas? I've had to use these terms in describing the flexible configurations in those Condos which are typically used for short term rentals? Some BPO Firms draw a complete blank when I use them.

I thought (just maybe) I know something no one else knows.

It would if it was accurate but the problem I have is the Sketch from the o/a doesn't show where two bedrooms would be able to connect to the bath... So either a. There's an error on the dated appraisal or b. its being used to refer to something else.

I know every thing, and these terms do not apply. I have never heard of such crazy talk. Put a casket on the floor and call it a bedroom ?

I need to make it to Vermont to check this out.

igsp



think splash

Vermont,

I see them in condo's in Aspen occasionally so I knew what you were talking about but most clients wouldn't be familar with them unless they were use to tourist areas.

J~

Despite the ridicule, I'll explain it (them) anyway.

Lock-Offs and Cooking Closets:

I recently did a BPO on a Condo in a resort at the base of a Ski Mountain. Sold in 2006 for $839,000. Intended mostly for Short-Term rentals (Days, Week-Ends, and Weeks). Gross rents were expected to exceed $65,000. Condo Fees $735 per Month. R.E. Taxes are about $18,000. Now it's in foreclosure.

Comprised of 2750 SF GLA with Seven Rooms, Three Bedrooms, Three Full Baths, Two ˝ Baths, 2 Fireplaces, 5 Egresses, and 1 Lock-Off.

The Lock-Off is the Biggest of the 3 Bedrooms, which can be completely isolated from all of the other Rooms. It has its own Full Bath, Fireplace, fore and aft egresses including an outside Balcony/Deck, PLUS it has a Cooking Closet with a small Fridge, Sink, Dish Washer, Disposal, MicroWave and Range.

This arrangement allows flexibility in maximizing the rental income from the Unit(s) . . . . it can be rented as a 3 Bedroom, or as separate 1 Bedroom and 2 Bedroom Units. I think I had to put a value on the Condo of about $275,000 less than what the people paid for it . . . . not so long ago. The current rents just aren't supporting the expenses.

The numbers originally projected "for" the Condo Buyers DID NOT anticipate any downturns in the economy . . . . and as you can see, there isn't much room for error. "IF" you bought with borrowed money, you probably have a problem. The Resort (also Condo Developer) usually manages the Rentals for 15% of what comes in; and they manage the maintenance of the units.

The Resorts (Pools, Golf, Restuarants, Gyms, Massage Facilities, Lifts, etc) benefit by having the additional clientele from the Condo Rentals . . . . but they don't have to pay the R.E. Taxes or the Maintenance. The Resort, thereby, can freely expand and contract with the ebbs and flows of the traffic generated by economic conditions . . . . it's a pretty good gimmick (though not for the Condo Owner!)

Anyway, the Assessors place an incremental value of about $20,000 on the Lock-Off aspect of this flexible configuration; and that's how they work in Vermont.

Michigan basement is a basement with typically very low ceilings and some of the walls or floor are dirt. I usually only see these near Detroit, or some rural areas. One thing to note is that it does not add to value usually.

Redemption: Michigan has 6 months of redemption. The owners have 6 months after the sheriff sale to get caught up on their payments and take possession of their home. This time can be shortened significantly if the property is found vacant. It will then be filed for abandonment.

Florida room: Is a room that was added after the house was built in the backyard. Usually lots of windows and can be heated or air conditioned. Ive also heard people call them 3 season rooms if they are not heated.

IGSP= in ground sprinkler system???

WE have quite a few earth-bermed homes around here. I have actually just got my 3rd berm REO on the market. I find that, dpending where the AM is, they call them either basement homes, berms, or even dugouts. I used to struggle filling out BPOs on them, because there is always the question about basement GLA (It's ALL basement level) or rooms below grade (ALL below grade). I have had my reports kicked back time after time because the BPO mill reps or AMs aren't sure what I mean because apparently this type of home isn't very common in all areas...
One AM called me to ask what b.e.r.m. stood for. It took me a minute to realize she thought it was an acronym for something else, not the actual type of home. She ended up telling me half her time looking at the BPOs was usually trying to figure out what certain abbreviations stand for!

That was not ridicule.

Where I come come from the kitchen closet would be called a Kitchenette.

The Lockoff, never heard of such crazy talk. I've stayed in hotel rooms where there is a door between the two rooms, but neither room had a cooking closet.

Then again though we don't have resorts in Dayton.

IGSP= In Ground Swimming Pool.

A Hollywood Bath is a very ornate bath that would be associated with a home in hollywood. Jaccuzi tub, nice tile, Roman Shower, perhaps a Bidet, Sconces for lighting, perhaps marble floors, Granite or marble counters etc. etc.

Think what a trailer park lottery winner would do when they built the "big house".