What are they talking about?

One of the challenges homeowners have is learning the terminology used to engage in many housing discussions. We started creating blog posts for individual terms but there are simply too many. So we've got links to help you find the real estate terminology, construction terminology and more to accomplish your goals. Whether you're buying a house or building one, renewing insurance or replacing an air conditioning system, we want you to feel confident you understand what's involved.

Be aware that each website below has different reasons for sharing their glossary. Where possible, the sites listed are government sites or home professional associations. When these sources didn't yield quality glossary pages, we turned to local businesses that offer products from multiple manufacturers, to get a provide a more complete list of real estate terminology and more.

Real Estate Terminology

While most of the real estate information you'll need focuses on buying or selling a house, there are many other real estate tasks that will follow you throughout your homeowner journey. Financing and re-financing, all types of homeowner insurance and more.

So here are homeowner glossary pages we've found to help you learn the real estate terminology you need to understand as a smart homeowner!

Flood insurance, from FloodSmart.gov, when buying flood insurance or handling claims.
Historic home preservation terminology, from HistoricNewEngland.org.
Home inspection glossary, from the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors.
Home insurance terminology, from the Texas Department of Insurance.
Mortgage glossary, unbiased real estate terminology courtesy of Discover.com.
Moving glossary shared on Realtor.com, so you can learn how to read and negotiate your moving contract. And yes, the more you know the easier it will be to stand up for your rights when your moving company doesn't deliver on their commitments. (Read my Letter to Bekins Van Lines)
Real estate glossary with an emphasis on title search/insurance, from First American Title.

Construction Terminology – Building, Remodeling, Home Maintenance & Repairs

Whether you buy an existing home or build one, they all need ongoing maintenance. You're the Chief Home Officer (CHO) of your house and by proactively taking care of your home, you can save money. How?

Proactive home maintenance can reduce the number (and cost) of home repairs. You'll also lower repair bills leaving more money for home improvement. So the sooner you start learning construction terminology and concepts, the easier you'll find managing your home.

Bathroom terminology from Modern Bathrooms
Construction dictionary, shared by Dave at DaveOsborne.com, includes some diagrams.
Energy terminology, from EnergyStar.
Green building terms, from the most respected Green website, but beware it's very technical.
Home building glossary from the House Plan Shop.
Kitchen remodeling glossary, from Kitchen Cabinet Kings.
Recycling dictionary, from Green Halo Systems.
Roofing terminology, from Godfrey Roofing in
Window glossary, from the Door and Window Manufacturer's Association, useful when buying new windows.

Homeowner Terminology – For Decorating, Furnishing & Organizing Your Home with Confidence

Homeowners learn real estate terminology as they go through the process of buying a home. As a homeowner you next learn construction terminology as you go about performing routine home maintenance and repairs. And then there are the finishes (what the trades call them) like trim, lighting and flooring.

As a homeowner you'll have to navigate many different specialties as you research products online and/or visit retail stores. By learning the terminology used by home professionals, you'll be able to compare products and materials to make smarter decisions. For example, buying a warranty for a refrigerator makes sense as the ice makers always fail. Buying a warranty for a microwave doesn't make sense because there are fewer failures and a lower cost to simply replace the appliance.

If you're looking for terminology in anything we haven't listed yet, leave a comment below and we'll help you find a trusted website.

Flooring glossary from Hosking Hardwood, an online flooring retailer.
Landscape terminology from the DIY Dream Yard.
Lighting terminology shared by ALBEnergySolutions.com
Painting glossary, to gain a better understanding about paints for your home.
Professional organizer services and terminology, from the National Associal of Professional Organizers.
Wallcovering dictionary, from the Wallcovering Installers Association.