penthouse

Definition

The apartment that sits on top of a building like a crown, usually inhabited by people who think elevators are for peasants. Originally just a shed attached to a building, it evolved into the ultimate flex in urban real estate—complete with panoramic views and price tags that require scientific notation. Because nothing says 'I've made it' like living where pigeons used to roost.

Example Usage

The penthouse sold for $47 million, proving that some people have more money than sense of vertigo.

Source: Common real estate terminology

Related Terms

Advanced

tenant at sufferance

A fancy legal term for someone who's overstaying their lease like an unwelcome houseguest who won't take the hint. They're technically trespassing but haven't been officially evicted yet, existing in a legal limbo of awkwardness.

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Advanced

littoral rights

Property rights of landowners whose property borders large navigable lakes or oceans, governing use of water and shore access. Like riparian rights' fancy coastal cousin who summered in the Hamptons.

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Pocket Listing

A property for sale that's kept secret from the general public, like a speakeasy for houses. Only the agent's inner circle gets to know about it, which is definitely not exclusionary at all.

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Curb Appeal

The art of making a house look irresistible from the street so buyers fall in love before noticing the interior looks like a crime scene. A fresh coat of paint and some petunias can apparently add fifty thousand dollars to a listing.

🏠 Real Estate

Beginner

DOM

Days On Market—the number of calendar days a listing has been active, serving as a digital scarlet letter that either signals a property is priced wrong or has bodies buried in the backyard. The higher the number, the more desperate everyone becomes.

🏠 Real Estate

Beginner

setbacks

In real estate, the legally mandated buffer zone between your dream home and the street—because apparently neighbors don't trust you to build right up to the sidewalk. This zoning requirement ensures adequate spacing for utilities, pedestrian safety, and keeping your McMansion from literally looming over passing joggers. Think of it as the government's way of forcing you to have a front yard whether you want one or not.

🏠 Real Estate

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