If you are buying or selling a home, the chances are good you struggle with the meaning of descriptive real estate terms. Heres the first in a series of articles explaining them.
The Wise Seller
Be very truthful if you are a seller advertising your home. Mention your homes best features, but do not exaggerate. If someone comes to look at your home and feels disappointed, they are not apt to buy. You are probably wasting your time and advertising money if your ads mislead.
The Wise Buyer
Take advertisements with a grain of salt and dont get too excited until youve seen the property. Many sellers do not take the advice given above.
Now lets examine some of the terms themselves and what they commonly mean.
Open Floor Plan
Describes a home in which rooms open out of each other and its possible to see from one room to another. Often entertaining rooms (living room, dining room, sun room, entrance foyer) are open to each other, and family living areas (kitchen, breakfast room, family room) are open to each other, while bedrooms have doors and open off a hall in a more traditional way.
Traditional Floor Plan
Used...