Terms & Conditions

TERMS & CONDITIONS for Website use

SovereignRealEstate.com

Welcome to our website. If you continue to browse and use this website, you are agreeing to comply with and be bound by the following terms and conditions of use, which together with our privacy policy govern Sovereign Associates Real Estate's relationship with you in relation to this website. If you disagree with any part of these terms and conditions, please do not use our website.

The term 'Sovereign Associates Real Estate' or 'us' or 'we' refers to the owner of the website whose registered office is 936 West End Avenue, New York, NY 10025. The term 'you' refers to the user or viewer of our website.

The use of this website is subject to the following terms of use:

1. The content of the pages of this website is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. 

2. Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on this website for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by law. NOTE: All dimensions and square footage in property listings are approximate.

3. Your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through this website meets your specific requirements. 

4. This website contains material that is owned by or licensed to us. This “material” includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance, content, photos and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions. 

5. All trademarks reproduced in this website, which are not the property of, or licensed to, the operator, are acknowledged on the website. 

6. Unauthorized use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offense. 

7. Occasionally this website may also include links to other websites or to posts from other users. These links and posts are provided for your convenience to provide further information about renting or owning an apartment or home in New York. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s) or the post(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s) or post(s) of other users except as expressly stated herein. Sovereign Associates Real Estate reserves the right to add, modify, remove all material of the website in its sole and absolute discretion including, without limitation, links and posts by others.

8. Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of the state of New York.

disclaimer

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Sovereign Associates Real Estate and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profit, arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.

Through this website you may be able to link to other websites which are not under the control of Sovereign Associates Real Estate. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, Sovereign Real Estate takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.

privacy policy

Sovereign Associates Real Estate is committed to respecting your online privacy and understands the need for appropriate protection of any of your personal information that you might share with us. Your personal information means any (but not limited to) names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers etc. As your real estate broker, when Sovereign Associates Real Estate asks you for personal information, we tell you, or it will be clear, what we need to fulfill your request and how we use it, such as to process your rental application, lease, or purchase agreement documentation.

copyright notice

Copyright © Sovereign Associates, Inc. All rights reserved

real estate terminology

Amenities: Any and all of the conveniences offered by a landlord to a tenant, such as an elevator, laundry facilities in the building, or live-in super (superintendent of the building). If you have special requirements, such as a pet, be sure to let your real estate broker know in advance, so they can pre-screen apartments that do allow pets and not waste your time.

Bank check: A check that is purchased from a bank with cash. Often a bank check is required by the landlord (building owner) to pay your first month’s rent and security deposit.

Broker’s fee: Realtors usually charge a commission or finder’s fee when they locate an apartment for a tenant. They can only charge a broker’s fee if they are licensed and if they successfully find an apartment for the tenant.

Co-signer or co-signee: A co-signer agrees to share responsibility for the lease. A co-signer might be the person you’re sharing the apartment with or a family member who agrees to co-sign to help your rental application win approval from a prospective landlord. If you have bad credit or no rental history, you may be required to have a co-signer or guarantor.

Credit check: Most landlords will conduct a credit check to get a sense of your ability to pay the rent. You will be required to fill out forms to authorize a credit check. Any personal information you are asked to provide will be kept confidential.

Down payment: A portion of the fees given to a realtor or landlord before signing a lease to secure an apartment.

Duplex: A house divided into two apartments.

Efficiency or studio: An efficiency or studio apartment has a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, but all in one room. The kitchen in an efficiency is usually smaller than the kitchen in a studio.

Furnished/unfurnished: Furnished means that the room or apartment available to rent contains some furniture, which remains there when you move out. Unfurnished means that the apartment does not contain any furniture.

Guarantor: A guarantor agrees to share responsibility for the lease, and guarantees that the rent will be paid. A guarantor might be a family member who agrees to co-sign to help your rental application win approval from a prospective landlord. If you have bad credit or no rental history, you may be required to have a guarantor. Where your guarantor lives and works is important to disclose to your broker immediately as Landlords have varying parameters on where a guarantor must live to perform as guarantor. Owners may require that the guarantor live in New York or other near states.

HVAC: Heat, ventilation, and air-conditioning.

Landlord: The person/company who owns the apartment for rent.

Lead paint: New York law states that housing built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Lead from paint, paint chips, and dust can pose health hazards if not taken care of properly. Lead exposure is especially harmful to young children and pregnant women. Before renting pre-1978 housing, Owners must disclose the presence of known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in the dwelling. Renters must also receive a federally approved pamphlet on lead poisoning prevention.

Lease: A legal contract stating the dates, price, rules, and other stipulations of the rental agreement between an individual and a management company or landlord. A lease must be in writing to be valid.

Manager: A person or management company hired by the landlord (property owner) to manage apartment rentals.

Normal wear and tear: This refers to the reasonable degree of damage that is expected during the course of a lease, such as minor carpet wear, faded paint, or a leaky faucet. A security deposit cannot be withheld to cover repairs and improvements for “normal wear and tear.”

Roommates: Individuals who live together in a house or apartment to share expenses. Each roommate typically has a private bedroom or sleeping area.

Security deposit: A security deposit, often equal to one month’s rent, is money paid to the landlord before you move in. It covers any damages that might occur while you are renting the apartment. When your lease ends, the security deposit should be returned to you minus any amount needed to cover damages beyond normal wear and tear.

Studio or efficiency apartment: A one-room apartment with a bedroom, enclosed bathroom, and kitchen all in one space. The kitchen in an efficiency apartment is usually smaller than the kitchen in a studio. Some efficiency apartments may have shared bathroom facilities on each floor of the building, rather than private bathrooms inside the apartments.

Sublease or sublet: Sometimes renters find, for whatever reason, that they cannot stay in the apartment for the full term of the lease. They often try to sublet the apartment to another qualified tenant for the remainder of the lease term. Landlords are required to cooperate by approving a qualified tenant to sublet when the original tenant needs to vacate the apartment before the end of the lease, if a qualified replacement tenant is available. The individual landlord’s terms regarding subletting the apartment will be included in your lease. If the current tenant tries to sublet an apartment to you, be sure to verify with the landlord or manager that a sublease is legal, or you may end up with a problem on your hands after moving in.

Tenant: A tenant is a person who rents an apartment from a landlord.

Unfurnished/furnished: Unfurnished means that the apartment does not contain any furniture. Furnished means that the room or apartment available to rent contains some furniture, which remains there when you move out.

Utilities: A general term that refers to such basic services as water, heat, gas and electricity.

RENTAL LISTING ABBREVIATIONS

When you’re searching for an apartment or housing in New York City, you may come across abbreviations in the apartment listings or descriptions. This list is meant to help you navigate the listings so you understand what you are reading, but please note that common abbreviations often vary. For instance, “bedroom” might be abbreviated as “br” or “bd”.

Here are some of the most common real estate abbreviations you might come across while apartment hunting:

                             
½ bath toilet and sink only
¾ bath toilet, sink, and shower OR bath
a/c air conditioning
apt apartment
ba bath
balcbalcony
bb baseboard heat (electric)
bd or br bedroom
bkydbackyard
bsmt basement or cellar
cac central air conditioning
cbl cable hookup
cpt carpet
cent h/acentral heat and air conditioning
dk deck
dbl double
dr dining room
eik eat-in kitchen
ele electric
elv elevator
d/w dishwasher
fa or fha forced air heat
fp or fpl fireplace 
full bath toilet, sink, shower, bathtub
gmt kit gourmet kitchen
g-rng gas range or stove
hb half bath (toilet, sink, shower)
hdwd hardwood (usually meaning the floors)
hwhot water
lrg large
lft loft
lr living room
mbr master bedroom
mo month
mwv microwave
ngs natural gas
ofc office or study
pqtparquet (a type of wood floor)
prkgparking
prv or pvt private
rdr radiator (in-room heating unit)
ref refrigerator
scrnd prch screened porch
sq ftsquare feet
strstreet parking
w/dclothes washer and dryer
wkgworking, as in working fireplace
wshclothes washer
wtr water
w/w crptwall-to-wall carpeting
yd yard

Resources: Wikipedia; College housing departments