A-Frame American Foursquare Antebellum Art Deco Style Bahaus Style Cajun Cottage California Bungalow Cap Cod Corbelled False Fronts Contemporary Dutch Colonial Dutch Manor English Tudor Elizabethan Manor French Second Empire French Baroque Geodesic Dome Georgian Townhouse Glass House Garrison Colonial Gothic Revival Cottage Greek Revival Italian Villa

Late Georgian Period House Lustron Home Milwaukee Bungalow Moorish Style Nantucket Whale House New England Baroque Pilgrim Dwelling Plywood Awning House Post WWII American Ranch Prairie Style Pueblo Queen Ann Raised Ranch Romanesque Salt Box Southern Log Home Spanish Mission Split Level Vernacular Greek Revival Victorian Eclectic Victorian Gothic Victorian Wisconsin Log Home

1031 Exchange – Under Section 1031 of the United States Internal Revenue Code, the exchange of certain types of property may defer the recognition of capital gains or losses due upon sale, and hence defer any capital gains taxes otherwise due. To qualify the properties exchanged must be held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment. The properties must generally be of like kind; also commonly referred to as a “Starker Exchange”.

ADA - Abbreviation for “Americas with Disabilities Act” a wide ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances,  discrimination based on disability. Title III of the Act included new guidelines for public buildings.  Most public building after 1992 must be ADA compliant.

As Is – Term commonly included in foreclosure sales information and purchase agreements to notify the buyer that no express or implied warranty is provided. The buyer therefore takes the goods or property at his or her own risk, without recourse against the seller for their condition or performance.

AMP – A unit of electrical current; electric circuits are rated in AMPs for a given voltage, for example, “a 110 volt, 15 AMP circuit”. The capacity of the main breaker in a building is the measure of the electrical service, “100 AMP service”. The “AMP draw” of an electrical device can be determined with the formula: AMPs = Watts / Volts. For example, a 1,500 watt electric heater on 110 volt current will draw 13.6 AMPs.

Baluster – small posts that support the upper rail of a railing, sometimes referred to a spindle.

Balustrade – a row of repeating balusters, sometimes referred to the railing, typically found on stairs, decks and porches.

Bank-to-Bank Pour – A type of building foundation in which the sides of a narrow trench act as the form into which concrete, reinforced with rebar is poured. An efficient means of creating foundation walls, as there is no formwork involved. The “banks” are the earthen sides of the trench dug with a hoe. (See “Grade Beam”)

BICC – “Build In China Cabinet” – abbreviation commonly used in property listings.

Blue Board – Drywall that is moisture resistant.  Typically blue green in color and installed in areas when there is, or might be high moisture content such as in bathrooms.

Bollard -Most commonly used to describe posts with integral lights placed near exterior walks to light the walkway.

Bond Beam – A horizontal structural element in a block wall created by filling one course of block with rebar or concrete. Often used to add strength for a wind load or to create small lintels. The top course of a block wall may be a bond beam to facilitate roof blocking, roofing and flashing.

BTU – An acronym that stands for “British Thermal Unit”; a measure of heat; HVAC equipment is rated in BTU capacity.

Building Envelop – The entire volume of a building defined by its exterior walls, its roof and its lowest floor. If the structure includes basement areas, they are included in this volume.

Building Inspector – Sub-human life form whose job it is to make contractors and building owners lives miserable .  Now for reality – NEVER allow construction work that requires a permit to be done without one!  Work done correctly, in compliance with all current building codes and approved by a local inspector insures safety and maximizes added value to a property.   It also insures that in the event of an insurance claim, that the property will not have been disqualified from coverage because of inappropriate and unapproved work. An inspector can be your friend, honest !

Buttress – A structural support element in a building, usually concrete or masonry, built against a wall for support.

Buyer’s Agent - A contractual arrangement between a licensed real estate broker and a buyer that allows the broker or his or her agent to represent the best interest of the buyer. To learn more, click on the pull down topic list on this website and select “Buyer’s Agency”

Cap Rate – “Capitalization Rate” – determined by the formula: NOI/Purchase Price = Cap Rate. For example, if a building has an NOI of $25,000 and the purchase price is $250,000 the Cap Rate is 10; this would be called a “10 Cap” building. (See “NOI”)

Capital – The decorative top of a column.

Case Goods - Prefabricated cabinets, counters, storage units, etc.

Casing – The face trim of a door or window that trims the jamb to the surround wall. (See “Jamb”)

Caisson – Drilled or augured holes in the ground into which a metal casing is installed and often filled with a concrete mix. Sometimes referred to as drilled or bored piers.

CFM – “Cubic Feet per Minute” – a common unit of measure of air volume most commonly used in reference to HVAC equipment. (See “HVAC”)

Clerestory Window – Pronounced clear story. A high wall with a narrow band of windows at the top. The cleresory wall usually rises about an adjoining roof.

Co-broke – When a real estate agent offers a property for sale on the MLS, a “co-broke” is offered to any realtor who brings a successful buyer. The co-broke is a portion of the commission that the listing agent charges the seller.   For example, if the listing realtor charges 6.0% sales commission, he or she might offer a 2.4% co-broke to any other real estate agent who finds a buyer for the property.

Condensing Unit – The part of a central air conditioning unit located on the outside of the building.

Corbel – 1) A bracket, usually of stone, brick or other masonry material projecting from the face of a wall; often used to support a cornice or an arch; 2) A type of brandy !

Corbelling – 1) An overlapping arrangement, usually of brick, in which each course extends farther out from the vertical of a wall than the course below; 2) Drinking brandy !

Cornice – A horizontal projection that crowns or completes the top of a building or wall.

Cribbing – Temporary blocking placed under material to hold it up to an elevation until permanent support is put in place.

CSM – An acronym for “Certified Survey Map”

Cupola – a small structure that set on top of the main roof.  May be dome shaped or square, intended typically as a decorative element, but sometimes incorporated to permit attic ventilation.

Curling – A “curve” or warp created sometimes when concrete cures under certain conditions. Ever drive down a bumpy road that was just freshly paved? – maybe the contractor’s screed was screwed – or maybe the concrete just curled as it cured!!  In any case, its a ’nuff to  p– off the Pope! – well you know! 

Curtain Wall – Non-structural walls.

Dewatering – Cool professional sounding term for sucking water out of mud holes on a building construction site !

Diffuser – HVAC system register and grilles are the supply air and return air to each room for forced air heating and cooling mechanical systems. A “register” supplies air to a room and a “grille” take return air from a room.

DILHR (pronounced “diller”) – DILHR is an acronym for Wisconsin’s “Department of Industry, Labor & Human Relations”.  Non-owner occupied residential properties are required to have a “diller certificate”.

Door Stop – The finish piece in a door opening, attached to the jamb against which the door closes. Without a stop, the door would swing through the jamb until its hinges bound. (See “Jamb”)

Eave – An extension of the roof beyond the plane of a wall consisting of the fascia and the soffit; sometimes referred to as the roof overhang. (See “Fascia” and “soffit”)

EDO – “Electric (garage) Door Opener” – abbreviation commonly used in property listings.

EIFS – Acronym for “Exterior Insulation Finishing System”

Easement – The right to use the land of another for a particular purpose.

Encroachment – All or part of a structure (such as a building, fence or driveway) illegally extends beyond the land of its owner or beyond the legal building lines.

Encumbrance – A claim, charge or liability that attaches to real estate. It is the right or an interest held by someone other than the owner of the property that affects title. An encumbrance may lessen the value or obstruct the use of a property, but it does not necessarily prevent a transfer of title. Liens, deed restrictions and easements are all examples of encumbrances.

Estimate – 1) A detailed representation of the cost to build someone’s fantasy that bears no relationship to the actual final cost ; 2) a dollar figure tendered by some contractors that reflects one possible total price for the services you have requested the estimate for. The odds that the actual work will equal the estimated price are somewhere between “slim and none” !

Evaporator Coil – The indoor coil of a central air conditioning system which normally is enclosed in the plenum above a forced air furnace or an air handling unit. (See “Condensing Unit”)

Façade – The exterior elevations or sides of a building.

Fascia – The trim board, immediately below the edge of the roof.  If the roof system includes a gutter, it is typically attached on top of the fascia. The fascia is the vertical “face” of an eave, while the soffit is the underside of the eave.

Fee Simple – A legal term of property ownership that describes the interest in ownership; sometimes described as “fee, ownership”. Fee simple absolute is the highest interest in real estate and is entitled to all rights to the property. Fee simple defeasible is conditioned upon the occurrence or non-occurrence of some specified event.

Fiber Mesh Concrete – Concrete with fiberglass added to increase strength; used instead of standard concrete mix with wire mesh reinforcing. (See “WWF”)

Flashing - Long metal trim elements typically around roof penetrations, such as chimneys and vents, or at junctures where a lower roof meets a wall that keep rain water out of the building. “Flashing” has other meanings also that aren’t relevant here and if that is where your mind has already wandered, well, you’re probably not really thinkin’ real estate! Get a Grip!

Frost Wall – A non-structural wall in basement areas designed to reduce heat loss.

Frieze Board – A board at the top of a house’s siding, forming a corner with the soffit.  (See “Soffit”).

Gable – The vertical triangular wall between the sloping ends of a gable roof.

Gambrel Roof – a roof constructed with two pitches, with the lower section having a steeper pitch than the upper portions – classic barn roof.

Gargoyle – 1) A sculpture or rain spout designed to resemble a grotesque creature or monster.  Often found on gothic cathedrals; 2) a sculpture that looks strangely familiar reminding its viewer of their ex, their mother- in-law or their boss .

GFI or GFCI – “Ground Fault Interrupter” or “Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter” is a special electrical outlet with it own built in circuit breaker. GFCI outlets are required by code in areas near water, such as kitchens, bathrooms and garages.

GFP – “Gas Fireplace” – abbreviation commonly used in property listings.

Glazing – Glass windows, doors and trim in an building.

GPM – Abbreviation for “Gallons Per Minute” – a unit of measure of liquid volume; used most commonly in plumbing fixtures and hydronic heating systems.

Grade Beam - A type of building foundation in which the sides of a narrow trench act as the form into which concrete, reinforced with rebar is poured. An efficient means of creating foundation walls, as there is no formwork involved. The “banks” are the earthen sides of the trench dug with a hoe. (See “Bank-to-Bank Pour”)

Gross Lease - a type of leas in which the rent includes all costs charge to the tenant.  The property owner pays all costs such as property taxes, building insurance, maintenance and utilities.  (See “Triple Net Lease”)

Gusset – A triangular insert added to a structural building element, such as a truss, to add structural strength.

Haunch – A projection from a wall usually to support a horizontal structural element such as a floor or roof truss.

Hip Roof -  A type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. (See “Gable”)

Hose Bib – The faucet on the outside of a building to which a garden hose can be attached.

HVAC – Abbreviation for “Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning”

HWF – “Hardwood Floor” – abbreviation commonly used in property listings.

Hydronic Heating – A central heating system that uses a liquid to deliver heat to the living space as opposed to a system that uses air to deliver heat. A hydronic heating system puts heat into a liquid in a boiler and radiates heat into room through hydronic baseboard or radiators. Hydronic heating is typically more expensive to install, but also typically has a longer life. Hydronic heating is often seen as a more gentle, quite and even heating system than forced air systems, but has a disadvantage that if central air conditioning is desired a ductwork system must be added only for cooling.

Jamb - The inside finish trim of a door opening. The jamb trims the cutout in the wall; it is the surface on which the door hinges and in which the latching hardware is installed. The jamb is perpendicular to the wall in which the door is installed. On surface of the jamb (on the left, right and top of the door), the “door stop” is attached. (See “Door Stop”)

Joint Tenancy – A form of ownership in which title is held as though all owners collectively constitute one unit; unit of ownership. The death of one of the joint tenants does not destroy the ownership unit. A joint tenancy continues until only one owner remains. This owner then holds title in severalty. (See “Tenants in Common” and Severalty”)

Joist – any of the parallel horizontal structural members set from wall to wall to support a floor or ceiling.

Lean Mix – Sand mixed with a small quantity of Portland cement, normally used to backfill undercuts required below column footings and grade beam.

Lime Stabilization – a process of mixing lime into surface materials to create a more workable construction site.

Lintel – A horizontal structural member, such as a beam or stone, that spans an opening above a door or window or between two columns or piers.

Load Bearing Wall – A wall that is an integral part of a buildings structural integrity. (See “Curtain Wall”)

Mansard Roof – a four sided roof that has two pitches on each side.  The pitch of the lower portion in usually very steep and the pitch of the upper portion is usually very shallow and typically cannot be seen from the ground.  Typical of French renaissance architecture, mansard roofs were practical because they allowed living quarters to be built in the attic. Click her for a picture of a French Baroque Style – the origin of the mansard roof: http://www.realty-dynamics.com/french-second-empire/

Millwork – Finish carpentry in a building including cabinets, counters, door and window trim and any other architectural trim.

Mullion – Vertical elements that divide the panes of a window

NFP – “Natural Fireplace” – abbreviation commonly used in property listings. A natural fireplace allows for burning of real wood

NOI – “Net Operating Income” – abbreviation commonly used in property listings. NOI is the Scheduled Gross Income, less an allowance for vacancy, less operating expenses. NOI is calculated before debt service, i. e., payment of mortgage principle and interest are not included in operating expenses.

Nominal – A word used in reference to dimensions to indicate that it is approximate; often used in state pipe and fitting dimension.

OH Door – Abbreviation for “Overhead Door”

Palladian Window – a large window that is divided into three parts.  The center section is wider that the side sections and the top is usually arched.

Parapet – A short wall that extends above the roof.

Patina – a thin layer of corrosion, usually brown or green that appears on copper or copper alloys, such a bronze, as a result of natural or artificial oxidation.

Pilaster – A pillar or column set into a wall as an ornamental feature.

Plat – a scale drawing  showing actual or proposed features of one or more parcels of land.

Plenum – An enclosure in which air pressure is greater or less than outside the enclosure; most commonly refers to the space above a suspended ceiling in a commercial building when it is used as the return air for the HVAC system – a “plenum ceiling”; also used to refer to the main supply and return air ducts or trunks on an HVAC system – a “supply plenum” or a “return air plenum”

Pneumatic – air operated; pneumatic controls are common on HVAC systems.  (See “HVAC”)

Proactive – A “last ditch” ideology to try when everything else has failed!

Punch List – A list of minor details that need to be corrected; created (at a punch list walk through meeting) with the owner at the end of a building project. 

Rafter - One of several parallel supporting beams that support a roof.

Realitor – A real estate sales agent or broker who uses this “word” cannot pronounce the name of their own profession – sad!  You almost have to wonder if these people can find their “you-know-what” with both hands on a good day !

Rebar – reinforced steel bars cast into concrete to increase strength

Reveal - Generally refers to a decorative trim line, either recessed or raised from the material it is attached to or an integral part of.

Rocking - A cool term that means putting up drywall ! (Sheet rock is another term for drywall – hence “rocking”).

Roof Blocking - Wood boards fastened to the top of a building’s exterior walls to which roofing materials are attached and then often trimmed with an architectural flashing.

Roof Scuttle – Small roof access opening normally with a hinged lid and equipped with a vertical access ladder.

Sash – a single frame containing one or more lites of glass.  A double hung window contains two sashes.

Scupper - An opening in an exterior wall of a building at the roof to allow that water to run off; usually refers also to the catch or funnel attached to the wall at the opening to which downspout is then connected to carry rain water away.

SGI - ”Scheduled Gross Income” – abbreviation commonly used in property listings.

Shear Wall – A structural wall in the interior of a building designed to provide lateral structural integrity, not normally required in houses and small milti-family and commercial buildings  -  Not a wall you can see through!

Shoring – Temporary propping up a part of a structure until permanent support can be completed.

Sill - A horizontal member that trims the bottom of a window or wall opening.

Soffit - The bottom part of an eave that is between the fascia and the wall.  (See “Fascia” and “Eave”)

Sone – A unit of measure of noise used most commonly in reference to exhaust fans.  A “low sone fan” means that it is quiet”

Spandrel Glass – Opaque glass used as an architectural element on building facades.

Starker Exchange – Under Section 1031 of the United States Internal Revenue Code, the exchange of certain types of property may defer the recognition of capital gains or losses due upon sale, and hence defer any capital gains taxes otherwise due. To qualify the properties exchanged must be held for productive use in a trade or business or for investment. Txe properties must generally be of like kind; also commonly referred to as a “1031 Exchange”.

Static Pressure – A unit of measure of air pressure used most commonly in reference to HVAC systems design. 

Stick Built – a building constructed entirely or largely on the building site.

Stringer – A structural element most often tying opposed walls together; when used also as the structural support for a finished ceiling or below a roof they are more commonly referred to as ceiling or roof “joists”.  (See “Joist”)

Substrate – underlying layer of earth on stone beneath the surface soil.

Tenants in Common - A form of real estate ownership in which each tenant (owner) holds an undivided fractional interest in the property.  Tenants in common hold their interest in severalty. That is because the co-owners own separate interests, each can sell, convey, mortgage or transfer his or her interest without the consent of the other co- owners.

T & M – Abbreviation for “Time & Materials” – a common method of pricing construction work where labor is billed at predetermined hourly rates and materials are usually priced at cost plus a predetermined mark-up or profit.

T & M Not to Exceed – Construction pricing that will be billed at predetermined labor rates and material costs usually with a predetermined mark-up or profit, but the total cost based on these formulas will not exceed the “not to exceed” amount.

Time is of the Essence - A term in contract law, and used on offers to purchase real property that indicates that the parties to the agreement must perform by the time to which the parties have agreed,  if a delay will cause material harm.

TI – Abbreviation for “Tenant Improvement”; usually refers to the interior space build out to accommodate a commercial tenants requirements in a portion of a multi-tenant building.

Triple Net Lease - Refers to a type of lease a commercial tenant enters into in a retail, industrial or office property.  Triple net describes a type of tenancy in which the tenant pays  not only rent, but also pays for three other major expenses associated with the lease 1) property taxes, insurance and common area maintenance.  The rent amount in a triple net lease is always lower than in a gross lease, but the three additional charges may bring the total amount owed by the tenant up to a figure that is similar to an equivalent gross lease.  (See “Gross Lease”)

Troffer -Florescent light fixture recessed in a suspended ceiling.

Undercutting – term referring to the removal of poor structural soils at a building site when it is discovered that non-structural materials extend to a depth below the normal design depth for the footings.  Poor soils are removed and replaces with material suitable for bearing the load of the building.

Unit Heater – A heater for your unit !

Value Engineering – A process, often collaborative, between the owner, the home builder, architect, engineers and sometimes subcontractor, in which better cost value solutions are brought into the design of a building.   Often done to bring a building projects’ costs into line with a client’s budget constraints, but may also simply be done to maximize a project’s overall value from the client’s perspective.

Vernacular Architecture – refers to structures made by unknown builders without professional intervention by architects.  It is the most traditional and widespread way to build. It is indigenous, anonymous and varies regionally.