At IMAGEination we tend not to use abbreviations – full sentences and adequate explanations make our copy stand out from the rest when trawling through real estate.com or paging through the Domain section of the Sydney Morning Herald.
However, classified ads are different story – abbreviations are a necessary tool to deliver information in the smallest possible space. This article will try and decode these abbreviations so you know what to expect when you turn up at an open home.
Bedrooms with built-ins, b/ins, BIR – any one of these three abbreviations are used to say built-in wardrobes, as in the cupboard that is built into a bedroom so there’s ready-made storage for your stuff. Built-in wardrobes are standard in most new homes and would be an easy way to add value if they aren’t installed. A benefit to a home already having built-ins is that they give you an idea of how much space you have in a bedroom without having to guess how much room the cupboard will take up – it’s already there.
WIR, Walk-in – this is a walk-in robe, the more luxurious version of a built-in which is usually bigger with more space for storage.
Ens – is an ensuite bathroom, meaning a bathroom which you don’t need to leave your bedroom to find.
LUG, SLUG, DLUG – no we aren’t talking about slugs, bugs or other creepy crawlies, LUG is lock-up garage, with the S and the D standing for single and double.
Fl/boards – timber floorboards, sometimes preceded by ‘pol’ meaning they are polished timber floorboards. Floorboards are seen as advantageous as they are easy to maintain and look great.
RLA – rear lane access. This is where there is the ability to enter the property from a lane at the back. It usually means the garage is in the backyard and you can drive into it from the laneway rather than the street address. It sometimes means that the access is only for pedestrians, but there is always potential for parking STCA…
STCA – this means subject to council approval. This term is used for explaining the obvious potential that a property has, in terms of renovation ideas or external changes that could be made. STCA is used as an advisory that these changes and uses may need to be approved by council before you do them. This could mean creating a parking space in your backyard to make use of rear lane access, extending living areas or building a second level.
Words by Megan Macpherson I IMAGEination.tv