Advice from Barbara Corcoran, founder and chairman, the Corcoran Group

I find that all the truth lies between the lines in life, especially in real estate. The first thing you should do when reading ads is eliminate the adjectives. You’ll be left with very little, but it will be much more realistic. The most important bits are location, because it can’t be changed; size, because it’s expensive to change; and price, because in today’s market there’s little room for negotiation. Keep an eye out for brokers’ shortcut words. If a place is “cozy,” it’s too small. If it’s “charming,” it’s too old. Words like “classic,” “value,” and “needs TLC” mean it’s a fixer-upper. A “steal” is a dump. “Convenient” translates to “a little too close to Main Street.” “Unique” equals “hard to sell,” so bid low. “Asking price” means the broker thought it should be lower but the seller wouldn’t have it. “A peek at the park” means if you angle the mirror just so, you’ll see an inch of green.