If you are new to real estate investing, you may often encounter acronyms when skimming through classified ads, while discussing with banks/brokers/other seasoned real estate professionals, or even while driving past a house that has a for sale sign. 
While some acronyms can be easily deciphered, others may take some serious searching to find what they stand for. I know how it feels to be the only person in a discussion that does not know what something means, it can be a dead giveaway that you are a newbie when it comes to real estate. To help save us from the trouble, I have started compiling a list of local real estate related acronyms and what they stand for, as most often used here in the Philippines.
AP – Asking price
APT – Apartment
ARV – After Repair Value
AV – Appraised Value
BR – Bedroom
CAR – Certificate authorizing registration
CCR – Cash on Cash Return
CCT – Condominium Certificate of Title
CF – Cost Factor
CG – Car Garage
CLOP – Contract of Lease with Option to Purchase
COS – Certificate Of Sale
CRB – Certified Real estate Broker
CRESR – Comprehensive Real Estate Seminar and Review
CTC -Community Tax Certificate
CTS – Contract-To-Sell
CWT – Creditable Withholding Tax
DBO – Direct Buyers Only
DOAS – Deed Of Absolute Sale
DOM – Deed of Mortgage
DP – Down Payment
DR – Door
FMV – Fair market Value
FSBO – For Sale By Owner
HOA – Home Owners Association
HVAC – Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
ISP – Indicative selling Price
LOI – Letter Of Intent
LTV – Loan To Value
MA – Monthly Amortization
MAO – Maximum Allowable Offer
MBP – Minimum Bid Price
MC – Manager’s Check
MR – Maids Room
MRI – Mortgage Redemption Insurance
MV – Market Value
NOI – Net Operating Income
OP – Over Pricing
PITI – Principal Interest Taxes and Insurance
PC – Purchase Contract
PS – Parking Slot
RD – Registry of Deeds
RA – Republic Act
REB – Real Estate Broker
REIT – Real Estate Investment Trust
REM – Real Estate Mortgage
RESA – Real Estate Service Act
REO – Real Estate Owned
RFO – Ready For Occupancy
RM – Room
ROI – Return On Investment or Return Of Investment
ROPA – Real and Other Properties Acquired
ROPOA – Real and Other Properties Owned or Acquired
RPT – Real Property Tax
RTO – Rent-To-Own
T&B – Toilet and Bath
TCT – Transfer Certificate of Title
TT – Transfer Tax
VAT – Value Added Tax
I have also added useful links to more detailed explanations for acronyms and terms and I shall continue to add new links as they become available. This is a work in progress so if you can’t find an acronym in this list, or if you need more details for an acronym or term, just leave a comment and I’ll ask around from friends and contacts who are veterans in the real estate business, then I’ll include them here.
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Hi, I’m Jay Castillo, full time dad, real estate investor, and internet marketer, based in the Philippines
this is great and helpful. thanks again, Jay!
@Teamchi, you’re welcome. One of my most memorable acronyms was DBO, we often see this on for sale signs when we pass through the Cubao area and my wife and I never got what it meant until I saw an ad that had the complete term. =)
Thanks Jay! Now I can understand these small FSBO ads.
I think i should memorize this acronyms coz i was hired as a broker in el pueblo in manila, a realized that being a broker means more responsibility not just by selling house.
hI jay..after winning the bidding and have paid the downpayment.is there any collateral needed for the bank to get the financing term..of the foreclosed property..?pls advice..tnx
@Anonymous, if the bank financing is through a mortgage contract then the collateral would be the property itself, which will be mortgaged to the bank. If financing is through a contract-to-sell however, the property remains in the name of the bank until it gets fully paid, and I don’t think the property is referred to as a collateral in this case.
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hi jay… i’ve encountered this acronym and it seems it is not a regular RE acronym. kindly share info if you know what COS means. thanks, it was used in this statement “within redemption period COS was issued”. thanks in advance.
Hi lorenz, in this case, COS refers to Certificate Of Sale. Once the COS is annotated on the title, the one year redemption begins. Thanks for dropping by!
By the way, I already added COS in the list of acronyms. Thanks again for the heads-up!
Hello Jay,
Firstly, Thank you for your very informative site.
I have been looking at listings thru BFS andf I see properties that are ‘REDEEMED’and ‘with illegal occupants’, what do they mean by this?
Thank you!