Commercial real estate encompasses a wide array of property types, including office buildings, apartment properties, malls, shopping centers, warehouses, distribution facilities, and research-and-development or research-laboratory properties. Buildings made up of a mix of office and industrial space are called “flex” properties. If 50% or more is office, the property is called “office/flex.” If less than 50% is office, it is called “industrial/flex.” Some flex properties include research-and-development or laboratory space.
Real estate trends is a generic term used to describe any consistent pattern or change in the general direction of the real estate industry which, over the course of time, causes a statistically noticeable change. This can be a result of the economy, a change in mortgage rates, consumer speculations, or other fundamental and non-fundamental reasons.
Real estate appraisal is the practice of developing an opinion of the value of real property, usually its Market Value. (Real estate appraisal is American usage; many other countries use the terms property valuation or land valuation.) The need for appraisals arises from the heterogenous nature of property as an investment class: no two properties are identical, and all properties differ from each other in their location - which is the most important determinant of their value.
A real estate broker is a term in the United States which describes a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate (or real property as it known elewhere) and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy. In the United States, the relationship was originally established by reference to the English common law of agency with the broker having a fiduciary relationship with his clients.
Property management is the operation of commercial and/or residential real estate. This is much akin to the role of management in any business.
Real estate or immovable property is a legal term (in some jurisdictions) that encompasses land along with anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings. Real estate (immovable property) is often considered synonymous with real property (also sometimes called realty), in contrast with personal property (also sometimes called chattel or personalty). However, for technical purposes, some people prefer to distinguish real estate, referring to the land and fixtures themselves, from real property, referring to ownership rights over real estate.
An apartment is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building. Apartments may be owned (by an owner-occupier) or rented (by tenants).
The term "apartment" is favored in North America, whereas the term "flat" is sometimes, but not exclusively used in the United Kingdom and most other English-speaking areas and Commonwealth nations (Canada being a notable exception); in those countries, "apartment" is often used to describe more upmarket flats.
