gracious

"gracious" has a very specific meaning to me -- it's used to convey a type of layout where there's extra space that wouldn't be in a modern layout, and is too small to be used as an extra room, but still allows the flow of rooms to breathe.

I would use the word in a lot of contexts, but the easiest example is a 3.5 room pre-war one-bedroom -- that extra entry foyer space isn't going to be large enough to make into a nursery, but it still allows a sense of luxury and proportion that you're not going to find in a 1980s layout.

ali r.
DG Neary Realty

The word is definitely overused and has unfortunately edged into the oft-maligned 'broker-babble' category, along with yawn-inducing descriptions such as "rarely available", "triple mint" and "will not last!".

>... but still allows the flow of rooms to breathe.

Let's hear it for mixed metaphors!

The rooms are flowing, we're all choking underwater, and you want to claim that's somehow a form of ... grace?

I am glad you all got the point here. Boss Tweed had me laughing out loud. I also love "just one floor up," "pin-drop quiet" references to how "sophisticated" a living room is... other favorites include referring to gowanus as park slope, thinking that there is such a thing as "upper carnegie hill" and telling me 31st street is Chelsea.

How about "no pets allowed"?

I'm nostalgic for "charming" and "cozy".

Alanhart -- totally agree.

The shameless trumpeting of "WILL NOT LAST!" (especially when screaming in upper case) never fails to crack me up.

If it won't last, then why even bother mentioning it if (supposedly) it would already be gone because of its phenomenal desirability?!? LOL!

Of course, it could also be a true reference to new construction...

Can we also add to the list "over-sized" and "sun-drenched"? Thanks.

How about "open city view"? Usually means looking at a dumpy building across a busy intersection. I never see "pano view" any more. Overused????

>>The shameless trumpeting of "WILL NOT LAST!" (especially when screaming in upper case) never fails to crack me up.<<

These are especially funny when the listing has lingered for several months...

What's the big deal? Is the hope that some day soon you can listen exclusively to the broker and buy when told? Go see the place yourself and draw your own conclusions.

From Merriam-Webster:

Gracious (adjective): Courteous, kind, and pleasant, esp. toward someone of lower social status.

Gracious (exclamation): Expressing polite surprise.

Synonyms: kind - merciful - kindly - benignant

I always like the "steps from" usage. To me, if it's farther than from the front door to the curb, it's farther than "steps from".

>I always like the "steps from" usage. To me, if it's farther than from the front door to the curb, it's farther than "steps from".

That's important because people don't have their own feet to use to make their own determination. Also, Google Maps is not available, neither is the new less improved Apple Maps.

Williamsburg adjacent.

Here is a new one today "GRAND EDWARDIAN FIVE" which sounds like a street gang in london in the 19th century OR a kind of piano. It certainly falls on deaf ears for the typical buyer.

Catboy:

20th Century, but I agree that we in the United States of America do not use the term "Edwardian". I'd prefer "Classic 5" with a more descriptive term to distiguish between the variations therein. But in no case can five rooms be "grand".

One of those old grand 5 key pianos.