We're busy. We're Realtors. So we abbreviate. It's a fantastic time saver and it gets the point across without boring people to death with long, flowery commentary on each individual room Almost everyone who searches for homes online these days can tell you what 3 BR/2 BA is... but who is Dr. Chan?
True story from a friend of mine who also happens to be a great real estate associate: She received a call one day from an agent who had just shown one of her listings. She had great feedback from her client - they absolutely LOVED the house! (Wouldn't we all love for other agents to call us with this kind of great news?) They had one... small... problem. While the showing was going on, Dr. Chan was present the whole time, following them from room to room, pointing out his favorite details, explaining how he built this particular wall with his two bare hands, a dried-out ball of Playdoh, and some Gatorade. A real informative seller. The other agent was being a good Samaritan, letting my friend know that the seller didn't leave the premises during the showing. At this point, my friend stopped her with a question. "Mr. Johnson was there?" The other agent reiterated that it was Dr. Chan who had shown them around the house... "But the owner's last name is Johnson," came my friend's bewildered response.
"All I know," said the other agent. "Is that the MLS listing said that Dr. Chan would be removed from the house, and he was there."
Dr. Chan. DR Chan. Dining room chandelier. It just goes to show that even though most folks know what we're talking about when we write with abbreviations, there'll always be SOME folks who don't! There was an abbreviation tossed around a lot when I was considering buying my first home in the dark ages before I was an enlightened REALTOR. ESIK. I didn't know what it was then, and I still don't. Fortunately, enough people had the same dilemma I had and it seems to be used less often now than it was several years ago. In any case, the use of abbreviations should be carefully considered especially when it's going to be advertised with the selling and buying public. Never assume that people KNOW what you're abbreviating!
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