Common Housing Abbreviations

Confused by abbreviated terms in rental advertisements? The list below will help you decode common housing lingo.

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Abbreviation Definition
24HR DRM 24 hour doorman
a/c, air cond air conditioning
ag, agt agency or agent; an individual or company appointed by the landlord to manage the building, collect rents, etc.
alc alcove
appl appliances
avail available
b, bth bath
balc balcony
bars security bars
bay wind bay window
bd, bdr, bdrm bedroom
bk broker; an agent appointed by the landlord to show the unit to prospective tenants and negotiate leases; a broker's fee is usually paid when the lease is signed
bkyd backyard
bldg building
blks blocks
bmt, bsmt basement
brk brick
brnstn brownstone
cln clean
coed both males and females
condo condominium; units are owned rather than rented
conv convenient
cor unit corner unit
d/d, d&d, dw/disp, dshwr/dsp dishwasher and disposal
dr, dinrm dining room
drmn doorman
dup duplex
e-i kit, eik eat-in kitchen
eff, efcy efficiency; a studio apartment
elec electricity
elev, elev bldg elevator, elevator building
ex $ extra dollars, something will cost extra (e.g. pk ex $ would mean parking costs extra)
f, furn, furn'd furnished
flr floor
fp, fpl, frpl, frplc fireplace
fr from
ful kit full kitchen; full-size appliances
g/e gas and electricity
g, gar garage
htd heated
ht & hw heat and hot water included
hrdw, hw, hwd, hwdw flrs hardwood floors
imm occ immediate occupancy
k & b kitchen and bath
kit kitchen
laun, ldy, ldry, lndry laundry
ll landlord
lr, livrm living room
lux luxury
mo monthly
mod modern
negot negotiable
no fee no broker's fee required
no pts no pets
non-smo, ns non-smoking
nr near
own occup, owner occ'd owner-occupied
os off-street parking
pch, prch porch
pk, pkg, prkg parking
pvt ba private bathroom
pvt brdm private bedroom
priv entr, pvt entr private entrance
ptd, pntd painted
qt quiet
RE realtor
refs, refs required references required
rehab rehabilitated
reno, renov renovated
res st residential street
res supt, res super, resid supt residential superintendent
rfdk, rfdeck roof deck
rfrts, rf rights roof rights
sec. bldg, sec sys security system
sec dep security deposit
sep kit separate kitchen
sf square feet
spac spacious
stu studio
T near public transportation
taw, t-a-w tenant at will
uf, unfurn unfurnished
util incl utilities included
+utils, no utils utilities not included
w/d, wshr/dryr, wash/dry washer and dryer
ww, w/w, w to w, ww crpt wall to wall carpeting
yd yard

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Location: Campus Center, 3rd Floor, Suite 3300
100 William T Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125
Phone: 617.287.6373
Email: offcampus@umb.edu