FSBO

Definition

Short for For Sale By Owner, which is real estate speak for "I watched one YouTube video and now I don't need a professional." The savings on commission are usually offset by the cost of mistakes only a professional would have caught.

Example Usage

"I went FSBO because I didn't want to pay 6% commission. I ended up selling for 15% less because I priced it using vibes and a Zillow estimate from 2019." - A DIY seller

Related Terms

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yield maintenance

A prepayment penalty on commercial loans calculated to ensure the lender receives their originally expected yield, even if you pay off the loan early. It's the financial equivalent of breaking up with your bank and having to pay damages.

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rate lock

An agreement that freezes your mortgage interest rate for a specified period while you complete the purchase. It's financial stability in an unstable world, for 30-60 days at least.

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landlord lien

A legal claim against a tenant's personal property for unpaid rent, giving landlords leverage beyond strongly worded emails. The grown-up version of keeping your roommate's stuff hostage.

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deed in lieu

Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure—when a homeowner voluntarily transfers property ownership to the lender to avoid foreclosure proceedings. It's the real estate equivalent of quitting before you're fired.

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Comps

Short for comparables, these are recently sold nearby homes that agents use to justify whatever price they want. Finding the right comps is an art form -- you just cherry-pick the ones that support your narrative.

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rent-free

Living or occupying space without paying rent, either through arrangement, squatting, or as a benefit. In modern slang, it's also when someone or something occupies your thoughts constantly without deserving the mental real estate—like that embarrassing thing you said in 2015. The literal version is much less psychologically damaging.

🏠 Real Estate

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Corporate dehumanization at its finest—a person reduced to a fungible unit of labor that can be allocated, reallocated...