You can run into a lot of specialized vocabulary when you search apartment listings.  This apartment term guide will help you decode the language and understand what you’re reading about when you scour listings.

Application fee
An application fee is a non-refundable fee you pay when you fill out an application to rent an apartment.  A property management company uses this fee to cover the cost of doing credit and background checks.

Boutique apartment/building
An apartment listing for a “boutique apartment” or “boutique building” refers to a unique building.  Boutique buildings are usually renovated industrial spaces, schools, or single-family residences that have been converted into apartments.  Each apartment within a boutique building is different.

Cable/Internet ready
The apartment term “cable/Internet ready” means that the apartment is wired for Internet and TV.  When you move in, all you’ll have to do is plug in your electronics and contact a service provider to turn on service.

Carriage home
When you see the term “carriage home” in apartment search listings, it usually refers to a freestanding town home.  However, a true carriage home apartment is a building that was formerly a stable that’s been converted into an apartment.

Co-op apartment
A co-op apartment is one unit within a much larger building.  Instead of being owned by one person, a co-op apartment building is owned by the people who live in the individual units. When you buy a co-op apartment, you are actually buying the right to occupy one unit.

Corporate apartment
Corporate apartments are designed for traveling businesspeople.  These units are designed to be temporary and are leased for short periods of time.  Since they’re essentially extended stay hotels, corporate apartments are furnished.

Garden apartment
If you come across the term “garden apartment” in your apartment search, you’re looking at a one-level apartment unit as opposed to a townhouse layout. The term garden apartment can also indicate a bottom floor or basement unit that has access to outdoor space.

Loft
A loft is a type of apartment that’s very large and open with an industrial feel.  A typical loft might have high ceilings, exposed ductwork, exposed brick, or large windows.  Lofts usually don’t have many walls to separate rooms.  While a loft bathroom is typically enclosed, the rest of the unit might be completely open or have small divider walls.  Many lofts are converted from old factories or warehouses.

Month-to-month
A month-to-month lease allows a renter to vacate the apartment after one month.  It’s a popular agreement for a renter who needs a temporary space and isn’t sure when he can leave.

Security deposit
A security deposit is money you pay in advance to guarantee that you’ll pay for any damages you make to your apartment.  At the end of your lease, your property management company can use the security deposit to pay for any repairs or fees you owe.  Assuming that you leave your apartment as clean as it was when you first rented it, you can get your security deposit refunded in full.

Studio or efficiency apartment
The apartment terms “studio” and “efficiency” are synonymous.  Both refer to the type of small apartment that’s self-contained.  In a typical studio apartment, the bedroom, living room, dining, and kitchen areas will all be part of the same, small room.

Washer/Dryer hook up or connection
When you see this in a listing, this means that you can hookup a washer/dryer in your apartment. There’s only a connection, so you must provide your own washer or dryer.

Now that you’ve got a handle on common apartment search terms, you can start an organized apartment search.