Real Estate Acronyms every new real estate investor should know

by Jay Castillo on March 15, 2009 · 11 comments

in Real Estate Investing

If you are new to real estate investing, you may often encounter a lot of real estate 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 real estate 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 investing or real estate in general.

To help save us from the trouble and embarrasment, I have started compiling a list of local real estate acronyms and what they stand for, as most often used here in the Philippines.

Real Estate Acronyms commonly used in the Philippines

AP – Asking price

APT – Apartment

ARV – After Repair Value

AV – Appraised Value

BLLM – Bureau of Lands Location Monument

BR – Bedroom

BSMT – Basement

CAR – Certificate Authorizing Registration

CCR – Cash on Cash Return

CCT – Condominium Certificate of Title

CF – Cost Factor

CG – Car Garage

CGT – Capital Gains Tax

CLOP – Contract of Lease with Option to Purchase

COMP – Comparable

COMM – Commission

CONC – Concrete

COS – Certificate Of Sale

CR – Comfort Room

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

DST – Documentary Stamps Tax

EOP – Exclusive Option to Purchase

FA – Floor Area

FIP – Foreclosure Investing Philippines

FMV – Fair Market Value

FSBO – For Sale By Owner

GF – Ground Floor

GFI – Government Financial Institution

HL – House and Lot

HOA – Home Owners Association

HVAC – Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

ISP – Indicative Selling Price

LA – Lot Area

LARES – LAand REgiStration

LOG – Letter Of Guarantee

LOI – Letter Of Intent

LRA – Land Registration Authority

LTCP – Land Titling Computerization Project

LTS – License To Sell

LTV – Loan To Value

MA – Monthly Amortization

MAO – Maximum Allowable Offer

MBP – Minimum Bid Price

MBR – Masters Bed Room

MC – Manager’s Check

MLS – Multiple Listing Service

MOA – Memorandum Of Agreement

MR – Maids Room

MRI – Mortgage Redemption Insurance

MV – Market Value

NEOP – Non Exclusive Option to Purchase

NOI – Net Operating Income

NROC – Non Refundable Option Consideration

OCT – Original Certificate of Title

OP – Over Pricing, Option to Purchase

PITI – Principal Interest Taxes and Insurance

PC – Purchase Contract

PS – Parking Slot

RD – Registry of Deeds, Roof Deck

RA – Republic Act

RE – Real Estate

REB – Real Estate Broker

REI – Real Estate Investing

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

SQM – SQuare Meters

TB or T&B – Toilet and Bath

TCT – Transfer Certificate of Title

TH – Town House

TT – Transfer Tax

VAT – Value Added Tax

ZV – Zonal Value

 

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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  • teamchi

    this is great and helpful. thanks again, Jay! :)

  • Jay Castillo

    @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. =)

  • FranZ

    Thanks Jay! Now I can understand these small FSBO ads. :)

  • Condo Philippines

    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.

  • Anonymous

    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

  • Jay Castillo

    @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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    [...] Real Estate Acronyms Every New Real Estate Investor Should Know [...]

  • lorenz

    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.

  • http://www.foreclosurephilippines.com Jay Castillo

    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!

  • homer

    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!

  • Andy

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