style guide master 11 18 09 final draft

The Commercial Property Style Guide Colliers International November 19, 2009 1

Table of Contents

Top 20 Most Frequent Style Mistakes > 2 Colliers & FirstService: Names and Business Lines > 3 Real Estate Terminology > 6 Which Word is Right? > 15 Common Words and Grammar > 21 Punctuation and Spacing > 27 Formatting > 32 Numbers > 35

What’s a Real Estate Style Guide? Effective written communication starts with dotting your i’s, crossing your t’s, and proofreading your work to ensure your spelling checker does not allow a manager to become a manger. But there’s more—the way we format, punctuate, capitalize and choose words or phrases speaks volumes about the professionalism of our work. Our clients’ expectations are shaped by each document they receive. Inconsistent, poorly edited documents suggest we’ll deliver that level of quality throughout our assignment. The Commercial Real Estate Style Guide is our authority on how to write it right. Although our project team had many spirited debates about style, we all believe following a single style will strengthen our brand and our business. That’s why we made style guide decisions as a team and committed to uphold all of the style guide rules, regardless of our initial preferences. Using this guide will create alignment in all of Colliers’ written communication. For every brochure, market research report, proposal or website, use this as a reference tool. It should be supplemented by the Associated Press Stylebook in the United States and the Canada Press Stylebook in Canada. In some cases, these books conflict with our stylebook. That is intentional—the editors carefully debated these conflicts before writing the entries in our stylebook. In all cases, our document should take precedence. This stylebook was created in the fall of 2009, but it will continue to evolve. Got a tip, suggestion or pet peeve? Please send your suggestions to the project lead or lead editor for consideration and inclusion in our next edition. Please join us in using this tool to raise the bar in all of our marketing, research and client communications.

STYLE GUIDE TEAM PROJECT LEAD Heidi Stout Tretheway – North America PROJECT SPONSOR Lex Perry – Canada LEAD EDITOR Jennifer Garton – Colliers University CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Kerry Alexander – North America Ursula Boraas – Edmonton Mary Beth Campbell – Phoenix James Cook – U.S. Research Christianne Mejia – Greater Los Angeles Sonia Roll – San Francisco Kelly Skender – Detroit Nanette Sorich – Seattle


Top 20 Most Frequent Style Mistakes

1. Using Collier’s as the possessive form of Colliers. Colliers’ is the correct possessive form of Colliers. Collier’s should never be used.

2. Using over to describe a quantity. Over refers to a spatial relationship. Use more than to describe quantity, for example: She has more than 20 years of real estate experience.

3. Using the wrong homophone (homophones are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings, such as wear and where). See our Which Word is Right? section for repeat offenders.

4. Square feet, square foot or SF? Hyphenated or not? Periods or caps? This is the most wildly inconsistent element in our property marketing. See our Real Estate Terminology: Square Feet section for answers.

5. Capitalizing a person’s title in text when the title follows his or her name. Titles are capitalized only when they immediately precede a name. Correct: Vice President Stan Jones appointed Jane Smith as managing director (not Managing Director).

6. Using their as a gender‐neutral pronoun of a singular person, instead of his or her. Their is always plural and therefore the rest of the sentence must be in agreement.

7. Using a contraction for a possessive pronoun, such as it’s rather than its. 8. Using Capital Letters in Every Word of a Bullet Point on a Marketing Flyer. It is tough to read! 9. Capitalizing general terms, such as tenant representation or industrial leasing. 10. Using Arabic numerals for numbers less than 10 in body copy. 11. Using postal code abbreviations for states in body copy, such as AZ. Use Arizona when it appears

without a city, or when used in conjunction with a city name, use Ariz. 12. Inserting the letters th, rd, st, etc., following a date, such as February 23rd, 2009. 13. Using a complicated word when a simpler word will work. Utilize is not a substitute for use! 14. Using a hyphen or en‐dash (instead of an em‐dash, which is correct and shown here) for a break in

thought or pause in text. 15. Using the percent sign (%) in body copy. Always write out percent in body copy. 16. Using small caps for headlines and body copy. These should not be used in any situation unless

specified by a template (and we currently have no templates that permit them). 17. Referring to companies as who or people as that. A company is a singular entity, taking the pronoun it

and the verb has. For example: Colliers has many fine employees, thanks to its enterprising culture. People should take the pronoun who, so saying “brokers that specialize” is incorrect; saying “brokers who specialize” is correct.

18. Email or e‐mail? The debate is over. It is hyphenated. And website is one, lowercase word. 19. Adviser or advisor? Also settled. Colliers uses advisor. 20. Failing to use this style guide. Sure, we all have our own ways of doing things, even ways we learned in

school (such as the now‐outdated rule to place two spaces after a period). This style guide creates consistency for our whole business. Please use it!


Colliers & FirstService: Names & Business Lines

Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Appraisal and Valuation

This is the correct name and capitalization for this business line when it is used as a proper title. Do not capitalize in general use.

CORRECT: FirstService PGP Valuation provides appraisal and valuation services. Appraisal and Valuation is the business line conducted by FirstService PGP Valuation.

Brokerage This is the correct name and capitalization for this business line when it is used as a proper title. Do not capitalize in general use.

CORRECT: Colliers provides brokerage services. Brokerage and REMS will exhibit at the conference.

Capital Markets This is the correct name and capitalization for this business line when it is used as a proper title. Do not capitalize in general use.

CORRECT: Cohen Financial is a capital markets firm. Clients of Brokerage might also use Capital Markets services.

Colliers Never place an apostrophe within the word Colliers. An apostrophe may appear after the final s to denote possessive use.

CORRECT: That is Colliers’ original document. Colliers’ parent company is FirstService Corp. NOT: This is Collier’s style guide. There are many Collier’s agents.

Colliers International

Use the full name Colliers International on first reference. Use Colliers for subsequent references. Do not abbreviate as CI. When referring specifically to a local office, and differentiating it from others, it is acceptable to use Colliers plus the city name for subsequent references, but it is preferred to use the Colliers name only.

CORRECT: I work for Colliers International. The Colliers Seattle office includes appraisal and valuation, brokerage and REMS. Colliers was founded in Australia in 1976. NOT: I work for CI. Colliers Seattle is a global company.

Colliers Macaulay Nicolls

This name is for internal reference only, as it refers to the entity that does business as Colliers International and is owned in part by FirstService Corp. Spell it out on first reference, and use CMN for subsequent references. This name should only be used when describing our company history or referring to our legal name. Note that in many locations our legal name is CMN Inc.; be certain you are using the correct legal name.

CORRECT: We trace our roots back to Macaulay Nicolls, founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1898. We became Colliers Macaulay Nicolls when we joined forces with Colliers; now CMN does business as Colliers International with our corporate headquarters in Seattle.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Colliers International Property Consultants

This is the name of the global entity that controls Colliers’ brand and grants licenses to each country. Spell this out on first reference. For subsequent references, it may be abbreviated CIPC.

CORRECT: In 1986, a consortium of property service firm owners formed the global entity Colliers International Property Consultants to serve clients’ growing global property needs.

Colliers USA In the United States, sublicenses are granted to multiple firms, administered by Colliers USA. Use this term only when referring to this legal entity.

CORRECT: Colliers USA is based in Boston. It is a legal entity formed to administer the sublicenses of the Colliers brand in the United States.

Colliers’ Websites

Colliers’ local offices should be promoted as often as possible. Therefore, the preferred URL used on all templates is www.colliers.com/local.

CORRECT: For more information, please see www.colliers.com/seattle. NOT: For more information, please see www.colliers.com.

Corporate Services

Corporate Services is a business line used in Colliers offices (do not refer to it as Corporate Solutions). Always verify the correct term with the service team.

CORRECT: Corporate Services specialists serve the needs of corporate tenants who have operations in multiple locations around the world.

Divisions & Departments

Capitalize division and department names when they are used as proper titles. Do not capitalize in general use. REMS, IT and CU may be abbreviated in second references. Otherwise, avoid department abbreviations (or else you’ll wind up with alphabet soup). Our business service departments are: Colliers University Corporate Development Finance and Accounting Human Resources Information Technology Legal and Risk Management Marketing and Communications Research

CORRECT: Colliers Marketing and Communications launched a new style guide. Colliers University is partnering with us to develop it. The style guide was created by the Colliers marketing department. We worked with the university to develop it.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations FirstService Corporation

FirstService is always one word (no space between First and Service). Use the full name FirstService Corporation in first reference to the parent company of CMN, Inc. For subsequent references, use FirstService Corp. Do not use a comma before Corp. In a sentence, abbreviate Corporation as Corp. and immediately follow with a comma.

CORRECT: FirstService Corporation is a majority owner of Colliers International. FirstService Corp., provides consumer services. When sending press releases, the stock ticker symbol (NASDAQ: FSRV) should not be used unless the press release is approved by FirstService Corp. Press releases that should include the ticker are major acquisitions and globally significant deals.

FirstService Real Estate Advisors

This is the correct name and capitalization for FirstService Real Estate Advisors. For subsequent references, use FirstService REA.

CORRECT: He started working for FirstService Real Estate Advisors in 2008. NOT: FSREA (this is a different company) First Service REA (FirstService is one word)

Global Workplace Solutions

This is the correct name and capitalization for this business line, created under the FirstService brand. It is always capitalized.

Landlord Representation


CORRECT: We offer landlord representation services.

Project Management


CORRECT: MHPM Project Leaders specializes in project management services.

Real Estate Management Services

Colliers’ property management group is known in all cases as Real Estate Management Services, therefore the phrase property management is always lowercase and used as a general description, not as a business line name. Always capitalize this proper. Spell it out on first reference and follow this immediately with (REMS). Use REMS for subsequent references.

CORRECT: Our Real Estate Management Services (REMS) group is made up of 400 property managers. REMS serves the facility needs of more than 1,200 clients. NOT: Our Property Management group is made up of five people. R.E.M.S., “REMS”

Tenant Representation


CORRECT: We provide tenant representation services.


Real Estate Terminology

Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations about approximately circa

Do not abbreviate these words in body copy. It is appropriate to abbreviate where space is strictly limited, such as in advertising, tables, charts, headlines and subheads. When abbreviating, use approx. or the ~ symbol; just be consistent throughout the entire piece. Do not use c. or ca.

CORRECT: The desk is about 3 feet tall. NOT (in body copy): The desk is approx. 3 feet tall. ca. 1980 ~6 feet tall

acre Spell out the word acre when used in body copy; use the AC abbreviation (no periods) for tables, charts, headlines and subheads.

CORRECT: 6.45 AC | 280,962 SF The property includes 6.45 acres, or approximately 280,962 square feet. NOT: ac. or ac

advisor Use advisor in plain text; use Advisor only in conjunction with a proper name or title, as in FirstService Real Estate Advisors. We do not make changes to proper names or titles. Therefore, when writing a client’s title or company name, make sure to follow their spelling for advisor/adviser.

CORRECT: FirstService Real Estate Advisors is owned by Colliers’ parent company. Jane is a real estate advisor for that firm.

air‐conditioned air conditioned

This word is hyphenated when it is used as a compound adjective or compound verb, but not when it is used as a compound noun.

CORRECT: I enjoy an air‐conditioned office. I think air conditioning is great.

Basis Points BPS

A basis point is equal to 0.01 of 1 percent and is commonly used to denote the change in a financial instrument, such as calculating interest rate changes or equity indexes. Use basis points (BPS) in first reference, and BPS thereafter (however, spelling out the term basis points is preferred for the sake of clarity). Hyphenate basis points when used as a compound adjective.

CORRECT: Vacancy rose 50 basis points, from 8 percent to 8.5 percent, in the prior quarter. The 30‐basis‐point drop in long‐term interest rates, from 5.3 percent to 5 percent, signals things are improving. A 1 percent change equals a change of 100 basis points. A change of 0.01 percent is equal to 1 basis point.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Building Environmental Standards BESt

BESt stands for Building Environmental Standards. Note the t is lowercase in this acronym.

This is a certification available for office buildings, shopping centers, open‐air retail, and light industrial properties. It is a national program launched by BOMA Canada. For details, see www.bomabest.com.

Building Owners and Managers Association BOMA

Spell this out on first reference and follow that with the abbreviation in parentheses (BOMA).

CORRECT: Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) is an industry trade group.

build‐out This word is always hyphenated. CORRECT: Our project management division will supervise your build‐out.

build‐to‐suit This phrase is always hyphenated. CORRECT: The build‐to‐suit developer is marketing industrial property in 20‐acre parcels.

building Spell out this word in body copy; use the abbreviation bldg. for tables, charts, headlines and subheads. Do not capitalize building unless it is the proper name of a specific property.

CORRECT: Show the tenant that building. The Western Union Building will suit him.

capitalization rate cap rate

The phrase capitalization rate should be spelled out in first reference. It is not capitalized. For subsequent references, it is acceptable to use the short form, cap rate. Definition: A capitalization rate reflects investment market conditions and is often used to determine building values. To determine a building’s value, divide its net operating income by the market’s cap rate for comparable property.

CORRECT: A building with $250,000 in net operating income and a 10 percent capitalization rate would be worth $2.5 million. We sold that building at a 10 percent cap rate. NOT: We sold that building at a 10 cap.

cash flow This is always two words. Central Business District CBD

Capitalize all three words when referring to an area with specific, geographic boundaries. For subsequent references, it is permissible to abbreviate as CBD, but add CBD in parenthesis immediately after the first reference in order to be clear about its meaning.

CORRECT: Vacancy in our Central Business District (CBD) is declining. In fact, the CBD posted net absorption of 120,000 square feet last quarter.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Certified Commercial Investment Member CCIM

A Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation is earned by a real estate professional after advanced professional training through CCIM. Only 6 percent of commercial real estate professionals hold this designation.

CORRECT: More than 9,000 professionals in North America have earned the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation, which includes instruction in financial analysis, market analysis, user decision analysis, and investment analysis for commercial real estate.

Class A Capitalize the C and the A. The same goes for subsequent classes. Do not hyphenate. Do not put in quotation marks or parenthesis.

CORRECT: Class A office space is expensive. They moved into Class B space. NOT: Class “A”, Class‐A, class A

column‐free column free

This is hyphenated only when used as a compound adjective.

CORRECT: That building features a 20,000‐square‐foot, column‐free floorplate. The warehouse is column free.

design‐build This word is always hyphenated. CORRECT: The design‐build team includes four LEED® Accredited Professionals.

dock‐high dock height

Dock‐high is hyphenated and used as a compound adjective. This term and the phrase dock height are used to describe industrial loading door locations that are at the height of a loading dock.

CORRECT: There are two dock‐high doors. The doors are located at dock height.

fitout fitted out

Fitout is always written as one word. Fitted out is always written as two words.

floor plan This is always written as two words. CORRECT: Let me see the office floor plan.

floorplate This is always written as one word. CORRECT: This building offers a uniquely shaped floorplate.

footprint This is always written as one word. CORRECT: The building’s footprint covers a full city block.

freestanding This is always written as one word. grade‐level grade level

This term is hyphenated only when used as a compound adjective. It describes the location of industrial doors that are level with the ground or earth; it is often contrasted with dock height for loading.

CORRECT: 12 grade‐level doors The doors are at grade level.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations green building green initiative

These terms are not hyphenated; they are always written as two words. The first is a generic term to describe a building with environmentally friendly features. The second is a generic term to describe environmentally friendly programs and practices. Do not capitalize or put quotes around the word green.

CORRECT: The green building workshop I attended focused on LEED certifications. We’ve launched a green initiative in our office that includes composting.

gross absorption This refers to the measure of all real estate leasing activity, typically expressed in square feet per quarter. Do not abbreviate this term.

high‐rise

This word is always hyphenated. See the second example at the right for using hyphenation when high‐rise is part of a range.

CORRECT: The high‐rise office building is expensive. We offer a selection of low‐, mid‐ and high‐rise buildings.

Institute of Real Estate Management IREM

Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) is an affiliate of the National Association of Realtors and is the professional association serving multifamily and commercial real estate management professionals.

Through its educational programs, IREM confers the certifications of Commercial Property Manager (CPM), Accredited Residential Manager (ARM), Accredited Commercial Manager (ACoM) and Accredited Management Organization (AMO).

kilometer kilometre

Kilometer is the correct spelling in the United States. Kilometre is the correct spelling in Canada. Spell out these words in body copy; use km for tables, charts, headlines and subheads. Use hyphenation before the word if used in a compound adjective.

CORRECT: The mall has a 10 kilometer trade area. It is approximately a 20‐kilometre round trip. NOT: km. k.m.

Landlord landlord

In general, do not capitalize the word landlord. Capitalize it only in a contract when referring to the specific person or company that has been defined as the Landlord in the document.

CORRECT: The landlord signed the lease. The lease will be executed by the Landlord and the Tenant stated above.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED®

On first reference, spell out Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and show the acronym in parentheses with the registered trademark symbol (LEED®). For subsequent references, you may drop the registered trademark symbol. Colliers is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and Canada Green Building Council and a founding global partner of the World Green Building Council. Note that specific requirements apply to the use of green building council logos for the promotion of Colliers.

CORRECT: The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ is a third‐party certification program and the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high‐performance green buildings. It is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council and the Canada Green Building Council. LEED certification provides independent, third‐party verification that a building project is environmentally responsible.

LEED® Accredited Professionals LEED® AP

On first reference, spell out AP as Accredited Professional(s) and include the registered trademark symbol after LEED: LEED® Accredited Professionals. You may drop the registered trademark symbol for subsequent references. LEED® APs are professionals who have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and familiarity with LEED requirements, resources and processes.

CORRECT: Colliers has more than 40 classes available to help our professionals earn their LEED® Accredited Professionals certification NOTE: The Green Building Certification Institute is a third‐party organization that handles accreditation for the USGBC.

LEED® Platinum LEED® Gold LEED® Silver LEED® Certified

Four levels of certification are available to buildings seeking the LEED certification; the rating depends on the building’s features.

level This refers to a building floor and is not capitalized.

CORRECT: We work on level 12.

license licence

License is the correct spelling in the United States. Licence is the correct spelling in Canada.

low‐rise This word is always hyphenated. See example for using hyphenation when low‐rise is part of a range.

CORRECT: The low‐rise office building suits us. We considered several low‐, mid‐ and high‐rise buildings.

mixed‐use This word is always hyphenated.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations multifamily This is always written as one word. NOT:

Multi‐family broker multi‐housing transaction

multilevel This is always written as one word. multi‐tenant This word is always hyphenated. CORRECT:

The multi‐tenant building is available for sale. NOT: Multitenant, multi tenant

National Association of Industrial and Office Properties NAIOP

The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties, which also calls itself the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, is abbreviated NAIOP.

The organization’s abbreviated name is pronounced NAY‐op.

net absorption This is the measurement of all new leasing activity minus all lease expirations, resulting in a number that measures the growth in occupancy. It is typically expressed in square feet and evaluated quarterly.

Contrast net and gross absorption: While the former measures growth, the latter measures activity as a whole. Net absorption takes into account both the gain in occupancy from new leases and the loss in occupancy from lease terminations.

net operating income NOI

On first reference, use net operating income (NOI) and for subsequent references use NOI. NOI may also be used in tables, charts and bullet points.

CORRECT: The building’s net operating income (NOI) fell 5 percent, well below the landlord’s expected 2 percent decline in NOI. NOT: The building has $200,000 in N.O.I.

off‐street off street

This word is only hyphenated when used as a compound adjective, but it is not hyphenated when used as a simple location (noun).

CORRECT: There is plenty of off‐street parking. Please park off street to avoid a ticket.

on‐site on site

This word is only hyphenated when used as a compound adjective, but it is not hyphenated when used as a simple location (noun).

CORRECT: There is plenty of on‐site parking. A café is located on site. We have on‐site property management. We have property management on site.

open‐plan open plan

This word is only hyphenated when used as a compound adjective. It is not hyphenated when open only modifies plan.

CORRECT: The space includes 4,000 square feet of open‐plan cubicles. The office space has an open plan.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations pro forma This is written as two words. It is a

document prepared in advance as a model for an expected outcome.

CORRECT: The pro forma property statement shows a drop in income in 2011 due to projected lease expirations.

Product Types: land, office, industrial, multifamily, retail, hotel, mixed‐use, residential, technical facilities

Product types should be capitalized only when used as part of a proper name. Commercial should not be used to refer to office or retail space—use the specific word for the property type, such as office, retail or industrial, instead.

CORRECT: Project leasing is done by the Edmonton office leasing team. NOT: Leasing in the Industrial market is tough these days.

Realtor® Realtors®

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) is an industry organization, and only real estate licensees who are members of NAR may be called Realtors. The word Realtor® is not written in all caps, however it should include the registered trademark symbol on first reference.

CORRECT: Joe Smith is a real estate broker (or real estate agent, or real estate salesperson). As a licensed member of NAR, Jane Smith may be called a Realtor®. Realtor is pronounced REAL‐tore—not re‐LUH‐ter.

sale‐leaseback This is always hyphenated. It describes a transaction when a business sells its location to an investor, but remains in the building after the sale is completed under a lease agreement.

CORRECT: The sale‐leaseback was a great investment for Joe Smith, who purchased the building from the ACME company and leased it back to the firm for five years.

Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® SIOR

Spell out Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® on first reference and include the acronym in parentheses (SIOR) with a registered trademark next to the word Realtors: Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® (SIOR).

CORRECT: The Society of Industrial and Office Realtors® (SIOR) is a professional commercial and industrial real estate association with more than 3,000 members in 26 countries. www.sior.com

square feet square foot: Hyphenation

The term (quantity)‐square‐foot is a compound adjective that collectively modifies a noun, such as a building. Square foot is usually hyphenated, except when referring to 1 square foot. Square feet is never a compound adjective. It is a unit of measurement that can describe space within a building. Square feet is never hyphenated.

CORRECT (square foot): We leased a 10,000‐square‐foot building. A 10,000‐square‐foot building is for sale. CORRECT (square feet): X leased 10,000 square feet in Y building. The building has 10,000 square feet.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations square feet square foot SF

The full phrase square feet, or square foot, should be used in body copy. Use the abbreviation SF in all charts, tables, advertisements, headlines, subheads, and when writing in a bulleted list or in incomplete sentences. Square feet takes a plural verb, such as were. Square foot takes singular verb, such as was.

CORRECT: There is not a single square foot of space available on the west side. There are 5,000 square feet available in the new building down the street. In the third quarter, 100,000 square feet were added to inventory from the completion of One Main Street. NOT: sqft, sq. ft., sf, s.f., ft2

Streets abbreviations: Avenue = Ave. Boulevard = Blvd. Circle = Cir. Crescent = Cres. Expressway = Expy. Drive = Dr. Lane = Ln. Loop = Lp. Parkway = Pkwy. Road = Rd. Street = St.

Write out the full word for street descriptors in body copy. In charts, tables, address labels and headlines, you may abbreviate. Always use a period after the abbreviation. Spell out and capitalize First through Ninth when used as street names; use numbers with two letters for streets numbered 10 and above. Capitalize the street descriptor when part of a formal name, even if there is no number (example: Pine Street). Lowercase the words street, avenue, etc., when used alone or when used with two or more names (example: Cooper and Pecos roads or Wall and Pike streets). Spell out Interstate and similar types of streets on first reference and abbreviate for subsequent references, using a hyphen only if the street name is a single letter abbreviation.

CORRECT: I live on Northwest Elm Street, just around the corner from my favorite restaurant, located at 123 SE Oak Avenue. 7 Fifth Avenue 100 North 21st Street I used to live on Larkspur Lane. The lane where I grew up has changed. It is on the corner of Cooper and Pecos roads. Interstate 405, I‐405 State Route 51, SR 51 Highway 202, US 202 NOT: It is on the corner of Cooper and Pecos Roads.

stand alone stand‐alone

This is only hyphenated when used as a compound adjective.

CORRECT: This is a stand‐alone structure. This structure was built to stand alone.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations story storey

Story is the correct spelling in the United States. Storey is the correct spelling in Canada. Plural for either is stories. This word refers to a building floor; it should be hyphenated when used as a compound adjective. When describing a building with nine or fewer stories, spell out the number (do not use the numeral).

CORRECT: (USA) We are leasing a 22‐story building. (Canada) We are leasing a 22‐storey building. My new office is five stories tall. NOT: We are leasing a 22 story building. My new office is 5 stories tall. My 5‐story (or 5‐storey) office.

Tenant tenant

Capitalize Tenant only in a contract when referring to the specific person or company who has been defined as the Tenant in the document.

CORRECT: The tenant signed the lease. The lease will be executed by the Landlord and the Tenant stated above.

tenant improvements Use tenant improvement or tenant improvements (not capitalized) on first reference. You may use TIs for subsequent references. The abbreviation TIs never contains an apostrophe.

CORRECT: Tenant improvements will include new paint and carpet. Your tenant improvement allowance is $20 per square foot.

test‐fit This word is always hyphenated. turnkey This is always written as one word. CORRECT:

REMS offers clients a turnkey solution for facilities management.

workstation This is always written as one word. work force This is always written as two words. workplace This is always written as one word. workspace This is always written as one word. workweek This is always written as one word.


Which Word is Right?

Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations accept except

Accept means to take something offered or to endure a situation. Except means to take exception, exclude or omit.

CORRECT: The tenant accepted the landlord’s terms, except the provision that required a major security deposit.

affect effect

Affect, as a verb, means to influence, change or take on. Affect, as a noun, is best avoided. Effect, as a verb, means to cause or bring about. Effect, as a noun, means result. These words are not interchangeable.

CORRECT (affect): The court’s decision in this case will not affect (change) the established precedent. Inflation affects (influences) the buying power of the dollar. The sale will affect (change) his standings. She affects (take on) an unsophisticated manner. CORRECT (effect): The government's action had no effect (result) on the trade imbalance. He will effect (bring about) many changes in the company. It is essential that we effect (bring about) an immediate improvement in sales. It will be months before we can assess the full effect (result) of the new law.

assure ensure insure

Use assure as a verb to mean to make someone confident of an outcome. Use ensure to mean guarantee. Use insure only for references to insurance.

CORRECT: I will assure my client it can be done. I can ensure the accuracy of the report. The policy insures his life. Can you ensure the building has been inspected? NOT: Can you insure that the building has been thoroughly inspected?

back‐up back up backup

This word is hyphenated when it is used as a compound adjective. It is two separate words when it is used as a verb. It is one word when it is used as a compound noun.

CORRECT: We have a back‐up system to support that. Please back up your hard drive. Lisa will be my backup for the week.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations biweekly bimonthly semiweekly semimonthly

The prefixes bi and semi are not interchangeable. Bi means two, and semi means half. Biweekly means every two weeks. Bimonthly means every other month. Semiweekly means twice a week (or you can think of it as every half week). Semimonthly is twice a month (or you can think of it as every half month).

can may might

Can shows ability. May shows permission. Might shows possibility.

CORRECT: You can afford that vacation. You may take Friday off if your manager approves it. I might take Friday off if I decide to take a long weekend.

capital capitol

Cities and all other uses (including money) that are not a building are capital, spelled with an a. Capitol, with an o, is always a building.

CORRECT: Sacramento is the capital of California. I need to raise more capital for this property investment. Phoenix is considering selling its capitol.

complement compliment

Complement is a noun or a verb denoting completeness or the process of supplementing something. Compliment is a noun or a verb denoting praise or the expression of courtesy.

CORRECT: Those shoes really complement your attire. I want to compliment you on your lovely suit.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations compose comprise consist constitute

Compose means to create or put together. It is commonly used in both the active and passive voices. Compose is preferred when the parts of the whole being assembled are regarded as non‐concrete and more general. The phrase is composed of is correct. Comprise means to contain, to include all or to embrace, and it is best used only in the active voice followed by a direct object (no preposition before the object). The phrase is comprised of is never correct. Consist means to be made up of or composed of. Constitute means to be the elements or parts of a whole and may work best when neither compose nor comprise seem to fit.

CORRECT: The San Andreas Community comprises 50 units. San Andreas Community is composed of 50 units. The San Andreas Community consists of 50 units. The fund consists of money from several investors. The parts constitute the whole. Minorities constitute 15 percent of the precinct's population. NOT: Fifty units comprise San Andreas Community. Fifty units compose San Andreas Community.

e.g. i.e.

The abbreviation e.g., meaning for example, is always followed by a comma. It is used to introduce a relevant example of the topic or idea just referenced. The abbreviation i.e., meaning that is, is always followed by a comma. It is used to introduce a repetition, in different words, of the idea or ideas just discussed. Use a comma before each of these expressions if the break is minor. If the break is substantial, use a semicolon or enclose the expression and the element it introduces in parentheses.

CORRECT: Try using a different font, e.g., gill sans or courier. She saw to the last two details; i.e., the furniture was removed and the carpets were cleaned.

fewer less

Fewer is used for individual items that can be counted. Less is used for bulk or quantities of something that cannot be counted.

CORRECT: There are fewer people at the beach. There is less water in the glass. NOT: There are less people at the beach. There is fewer water in the glass.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations has have

The word has is used in conjunction with a singular noun or pronoun, except for when writing in first person (I have not I has). The word have is used in conjunction with a plural noun or pronoun, except when writing in first person. NOTE: Companies are singular entities, so use has with a single company’s name. Companies do not have a gender and cannot be referred to as he or she; use the singular pronoun it instead.

CORRECT: Colliers has been appointed by Valad Properties to lease its new warehouse. NOT: Colliers have been appointed by Valad Properties to lease their new warehouse.

he she they

Generally, choose gender‐neutral terms that are not in conflict with the rules of grammar. If you must be gender‐specific, alternate genders for various examples (but not within the same example).

Choose words such as professional and client as opposed to gender‐specific pronouns. When possible, use gender‐neutral terms such as chair instead of chairman and person instead of woman or man.

including like such as

Including suggests a partial set. Like suggests items that are similar to but not included in the set. Such as suggests items that are similar to and included in the set. Use a comma before such as and including when the words that follow are an aside. Commas are not used directly after such as or including.

CORRECT: He looked at properties in several cities, including Phoenix, Seattle, Dallas and San Diego. He plans to view properties in states such as Arizona, Texas, Washington and California. Companies including Colliers provide commercial real estate services. Companies like Colliers have struggled in this market, but Colliers has remained stable. Companies such as Colliers offer professional development to their teams.

it them

A company or a team is singular, so the word it is the appropriate pronoun. Similarly, use is instead of are for singular entities such as a team or firm.

CORRECT: The company released its quarterly earnings. That team is the best in the business. The staff hosted its annual blood drive.

its it’s

Its is a possessive word that means belonging to it. It’s is a contraction of it is.

CORRECT: The tree is losing its leaves. It’s getting colder outside.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations me myself

Me is an object pronoun, meaning it receives the action in a sentence. Myself is a reflexive or stressed pronoun and generally should appear in conjunction with the subject pronoun I. These words are not interchangeable.

CORRECT: Please call me with questions. I feel like myself again. I repaired the car myself. He wants to meet with John and me. NOT: He wants to meet with John and myself.

more than over

More than denotes quantity. Over denotes location. Over should not be used to describe a quantity.

CORRECT: More than 15 percent of space is vacant. Lights are located over the door. NOT: Over 15 percent of office space is vacant. I’ve been in real estate over 10 years.

principal principle

Principal refers to someone or something first in rank, authority or importance; chief; leading; or a capital sum of money that draws interest. Principle is a noun that means a fundamental truth, law or doctrine.

CORRECT: Zoning is the principal problem. Investors raised more than enough principal. She is the principal partner. My principles prohibit me from falsifying information. I won the argument on principle.

that which

Use that for essential clauses that are necessary to the meaning of a sentence. No commas are used before or after that. Use which for non‐essential clauses. If you can drop the clauses and not lose the essential meaning of the sentence, use which. The which clause is surrounded by commas. Simple rule: Use which if it follows a comma or when asking a question. Otherwise, use that.

CORRECT (that): I chose the blue desk that looked more comfortable. I remember the day that we met. The report that I sent you last week should be of some help. CORRECT (which): Which will you choose? The office desks, which are made of metal, are always cold to the touch in the morning. The team, which finished a year ago, is in first place. Laura’s report on personnel benefits, which I sent you last week, should be of some help.

that who

Use that for companies and inanimate objects and who or whom for people.

CORRECT: Colliers is a real estate company that provides exceptional service. Colliers has great professionals who provide exceptional service.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations their there they’re

Their is a possessive pronoun that means belonging to them. There is an adverb denoting location. They’re is a contraction of they are.

CORRECT: Their planning is doubtful. You can’t get there from here. They’re probably going to get lost.

theirs there’s

Theirs is a possessive pronoun. There’s is a contraction for there is. Their’s is not a word.

CORRECT: The property is theirs. There’s more we have to do to sell the building.

to too two

To is used in cases such as from me to you. Too means also. Two is the word for the number 2.

CORRECT: Follow the yellow brick road to Oz. And Toto too? Yes, dear, Toto too. There were two witches in the movie.

use utilize

Use is when you employ objects for purposes they were designed or intended for. Utilize is when you employ objects for unintended purposes.

CORRECT: I could use the box for storage, but my son would rather utilize it as a race car. This location was originally used for retail, but also can be utilized as an office space.

who whom

Who is the pronoun used for references to human beings and to animals with a name. It is the subject, never the object, of a sentence or phrase. Whom is the pronoun used when someone is the object of a verb or preposition.

CORRECT: The broker who sold the building is out of town. The man to whom he sold the building will be here tomorrow.

your you’re

Your is the possessive pronoun meaning belonging to you. You’re is a contraction of you are.

CORRECT: Your fashion sense is appalling. You’re not cut out for Project Runway.


Common Words & Grammar

Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Abbreviations & Acronyms In general, avoid using many

acronyms and abbreviations in a single document to prevent creating alphabet soup. When using an abbreviation or acronym, spell out the words on first reference and immediately follow them with the abbreviation or acronym in parentheses.

CORRECT: We offer our proprietary Client Activity Tracking System (CATS) to create real‐time reporting. CATS is used by more than 120 clients in North America.

Academic Degrees Use an apostrophe when writing bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, etc. However, associate degree is never possessive; it is always associate degree. There is no apostrophe when you write out Bachelor of____ or Master of ____. It is preferable to spell out a degree. If space is limited, or if you are detailing many degrees in one document, it is acceptable to use abbreviations in body copy. Abbreviations for academic degrees do not take periods (for example, BA, not B.A., for a Bachelor of Arts.)

CORRECT: He holds a bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. She’s had her Master of Science for five years. I have a BA in English from the University of Oregon. NOT: He holds a bachelor of art’s degree. I hold an associate’s degree.

and &

Spell out the word and; do not use an ampersand (&) in body copy. However, do not change proper names that include an ampersand. Ampersands may be used in bullets, headers and charts when space is limited; apply them consistently.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations city county federal state

These words should only be capitalized when used as part of a proper noun (Suffolk County) or a commonly used nickname (The Windy City). Do not capitalize these words in general references, such as Seattle’s city water service. Do not capitalize state, city, or county in of constructions, for example the state of Iowa.

CORRECT: Kansas City (proper name) posted 100,000 square feet of absorption. The city of Seattle posted 100,000 square feet of absorption. Washington state voters passed the bond issue. The Pima County Court of Appeals heard the case. The board of supervisors for the county is in session. NOT: The City posted 10,000 square feet of absorption Businesses in the City are angry about the tax hike. The State of California is in a recession.

Contractions Contractions should be avoided in business writing and materials, as they reflect informal speech. NOTE: Do not mistake possessive forms, such as Jane’s, for contractions.

CORRECT: I am listing the property for $5 million. It is located in downtown Phoenix. NOT: I’m listing the property for $5 million. It’s located in downtown Phoenix.

Directions & Regions Directions (north, northern, northwest, etc.) should be lowercase when referring to a general region, i.e., western Washington, but not for a region's proper name, i.e., the Pacific Northwest. Region names are capitalized when they stand alone and are widely understood to designate a specific geographical area.

CORRECT: I moved to western Washington to attend school. I attend school at Western Washington University. The building is located in southern Sacramento.

e‐book e‐business e‐commerce e‐mail

These words are always hyphenated. They are each spelled with a lowercase e.

CORRECT: E‐mail is a great tool. Please send me an e‐mail. Read it by e‐book.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations etc. A comma precedes the use of etc. If

etc. falls within a sentence, rather than at the end, a comma also follows etc. as well. If it comes at the end of a sentence, the period in the abbreviation ends the sentence.

CORRECT: The apartments have many amenities, such as a dishwasher, microwave, granite countertops, upgraded carpeting, etc., which are all brand new.

health care Always make health care two words, unless it is part of a proper name that spells it as one word.

CORRECT: We often lease health care facilities. We perform office leasing on behalf of United Healthcare Services.

high‐occupancy vehicle lane HOV lane

Use high‐occupancy vehicle lane (no capitalization) on first reference. Use HOV lane (no hyphen) for subsequent references.

CORRECT: Traffic in the HOV lane picks up at about 3 p.m.

Internet This word is always capitalized. northeast northwest southeast southwest

Always write each of these as one word. Lowercase each of these when indicating a compass direction. Capitalize each of these when designating a region.

NOT: north east north‐east

online This is always written as one word. province Always capitalize this word when

referring to a specific province as a proper noun. Do not capitalize this when speaking of a province or provinces in a general reference.

CORRECT: We are the largest revenue‐producing company of our kind in the Province. We work in two different provinces.

program

Use program not programme; programme is British English.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Ranges Ensure you have established a real

range: chronological, quantitative, alphabetical, etc. Do not indicate a range as a general assortment of options (use such as instead). Do not abbreviate or omit the quantity or the descriptor on either side of a numerical range unless there is no possibility for confusion. Always keep the currency sign on both sides of a monetary range. Use the word to to indicate a range. An en‐dash is acceptable in bullets and numerical ranges.

CORRECT: Tenant improvement packages range from $20 to $40 per square foot. Space ranges from 10,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet. The building offers space for 50–100 employees. NOT: Tenant improvements cost from $12 to $14 million. (Unless the range does begin at $12.) Tenant improvement options range from paint and carpet to full office build‐outs. Space ranges from 10–12,000 square feet. (Unless the range does begin at 10 square feet.)

revenue This is a singular noun. CORRECT: Colliers has $1.6 billion in revenue. Revenue from the five business lines totaled $1 billion. We expect these deals will generate more than $300,000 in revenue. NOT: Colliers has $1.6 billion in revenues. The business lines’ revenues were more than $50 million.

Stars: Rating System Hyphenate and use the numeral for a ranked designation based on a number of stars. Always indicate the maximum number of stars.

CORRECT: The building earned a 4‐star (out of 5 stars) rating for its unique art and décor.

State Names: Capitalization Always capitalize the name of the state but do not capitalize the word state when it is used in conjunction with the state name.

CORRECT: I live in Wyoming. But I am moving to another state. NOT: I live in the State of Iowa.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Titles Reference brokers or producers as

specialists, service professionals, or use their specific title, such as senior vice president. Reference managers as managers or leaders, and reference administrative staff or support personnel as support professionals. Formal titles are in lowercase when used in body copy except when used immediately before a name. Typically, a formal title is not used in front of a producer’s name. Reconstruct the sentence so the title follows the name. Use capitals for formal titles when used as part of an address, a professional’s contact information on marketing materials, and for other similar uses.

CORRECT: Phil Smith, vice president, has been with Colliers for 20 years. He is a senior vice president of marketing. Vice President Joe Biden spoke at our meeting. John Smith, vice president of office properties, is a top‐producing broker. Mr. John Smith Vice President Colliers International 111 North Green Street Sacramento, CA 11111 NOT: Vice President John Smith is a top‐producing broker for office properties.

United States US U.S. USA

United States is preferable on first reference; follow that with U.S. or USA but do not switch between these two throughout a piece. U.S. is acceptable as a noun or adjective for United States. It always includes periods except in headlines, when you use US. USA is the abbreviated form of United States of America and is written without periods.

web Web

When using the word web by itself, it is not capitalized, except when you are referring specifically to the World Wide Web.

web address

This is written as is two words. Do place a period after a web address if the address appears at the end of a sentence.

CORRECT: Our local web address is www.colliers.com/seattle.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations webcam webcast webmaster webpage website

Each of these is written as one word and is not capitalized.

CORRECT: Websites are great advertisements. Contact the webmaster with any questions regarding the site.


Punctuation & Spacing

Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Apostrophe: Plural When making an acronym or

abbreviation plural, add an s without an apostrophe. However, when using a single letter abbreviation, such as A’s for Oakland Athletics, use an apostrophe, even though this does not denote possession (this is done for the sake of clarity so that A’s does not turn into As, for example).

CORRECT: The Oakland A’s are great this year. He received four A’s and two B’s. Four VIPs were at the event. Several YMCAs have closed. The client wants extensive TIs.

Apostrophe: Possessive

To show possession of one item or concept by another, use apostrophe s (’s) for singular words, and an s followed by an apostrophe (s’) for plural words.

CORRECT: a day’s pay your money’s worth two weeks’ vacation two months’ free rent three days’ work NOTE: A hyphenated form may be clearer. For example: a two‐week vacation a three‐day job a two‐month discount on rent

Brackets ([ ]) Use square brackets within parentheses when you must use parentheses again. In quoted material, use parentheses, not brackets, to insert a correction, clarification or abbreviation.

CORRECT: (She spoke ironically [meaning jokingly]).

Collective Nouns A collective noun refers to a group of individuals or individual items that are considered a single unit. Collective nouns take singular verbs and pronouns. NOTE: If emphasis is on the individual items in the unit (rather than the unit itself), the noun takes a plural verb and pronoun.

CORRECT: The team is on track for a win. The staff is having a party next week. Her data was not well organized. EXCEPTIONS: Team names and band names always take plural verbs and pronouns.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Colon (:) Use one space after a colon.

Capitalize the word following a colon if it begins a complete thought.

CORRECT: When prospecting for clients, remember this: People do not want to be bothered at dinner.

Commas with Company Names Do not place commas before the company’s descriptor, such as Inc. or Corp. Do place a comma after the period that an abbreviateds the company ’s descriptor if the descriptor is not the last word in the sentences.

CORRECT: He works for FirstService Corp. FirstService Corp., is our primary shareholder. NOT: FirstService, Corp. FirstService Corp. is our primary shareholder.

Commas with Introductory Phrases

It is not always necessary to place a comma following an introductory phrase. Use a comma for longer introductory phrases or if its omission would slow a reader’s comprehension. Do not use a comma if it would divide your sentence into two incomplete parts.

CORRECT: In 2002 he was the top producer in the country. On the street below, the curious were gathered to see what was happening. NOT: Preparing for his sales pitch, was one of the toughest tasks on his agenda.

Commas with a Period when the Period Does Not End a Sentence

A comma must always follow a period when the period does not complete a sentence.

CORRECT: I traveled to 123 Elm Blvd., in a car. Apples, bananas, grapes, etc., were included in the salad. FirstService Corp., is the parent company of Colliers International. EastGroup Properties, Inc., is one of our best clients. EXCEPTIONS: Personal titles such as Mr., Ms., Doc., Rev., and Gen.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Commas and Semicolons in a Series

Do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series. Use a comma before the conjunction in a complex series of phrases. Put a comma before the concluding conjunction in a series if an integral element of the series also includes a conjunction. Use semicolons to separate elements of a series when the items are long or when individual segments contain commas.

CORRECT: The building is made of glass, steel and concrete. You need to consider the high vacancy rates, the lack of available tenants, the time it will take to lease the property, and the ups and downs of the market. I had juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast. The building’s amenities include a well‐appointed lobby; 24‐hour on‐site security, electronic and key card access; and a conference center that includes a color copier, fax machine and audio/video equipment.

Ellipsis ( … ) Treat an ellipsis as a three‐letter word; an ellipsis is constructed with three periods and a space before and after. However, if the ellipsis comes at the end of a sentence, drop the space after the third period and add a fourth period to indicate the end of the sentence. There are never spaces between the three periods. Use ellipses to indicate the deletion of one or more words. An ellipsis can be used to indicate a pause; however, an em‐dash is better for this purpose.

CORRECT: She said that working with Colliers was “… a fantastic experience.” I considered having cake, but there were so many options ….


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Em‐dash (—) En‐dash (–) Hyphen (‐)

An em‐dash indicates an abrupt change in thought or an emphatic pause. There are no spaces before or after the em‐dash. An en‐dash is used in numerical ranges (indicating up to and including). There are no spaces before or after the en‐dash. Hyphens are joiners. Use these to form a single idea from two or more words, such as in compound adjectives, or to avoid ambiguity. There are no spaces before or after a hyphen. These are not interchangeable.

CORRECT em‐dash: I sold the building—granted it was for less money—but it sold! NOTE: To get the em‐dash in Word: Use two hyphens with no spaces and auto‐correct will create it, or use Alt+0151 on your numeric keypad. CORRECT en‐dash: Please read pages 38–52. He was president from 1980–1988. CORRECT hyphen: He is a well‐known man. She is a better‐qualified woman.

Parentheses in Quoted Material

In quoted material, use parenthesis to insert a correction, clarification or abbreviation.

CORRECT: “It’s a major task,” he said, “to get the entire CLT (Company Core Leadership Team) together and get us to agree (to the contract).”

Period at the End of Sentence Use only one space after the period. Although you might have learned the two‐space rule in school, this rule of style has evolved due to changes in printing technology.

The two‐spaces‐after‐a‐period rule was used when typewriters type set the width of every character equally (so an i took as much space as an M). Now that most fonts adjust letter spacing, only one space is needed to create an appropriate visual break.

Quotation Marks with Other Punctuation (American English)

The period and the comma always go within the quotation marks. The dash, semicolon, question mark and exclamation point go within the quotation marks only when they apply to the quoted matter. They go outside when they apply to the whole sentence.

CORRECT: John said, “The property is in Maine.” The title of the book is “How Shall We Then Live?” Was he serious when he said, “I cannot lower the price”? NOT: John said, “The property is in Phoenix”.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Semicolon (;) This is a mark of punctuation used

to connect independent clauses, indicating a closer relationship between the clauses than a period would indicate. Use semicolons to separate elements of a series when the items are long or when individual segments contain commas.

CORRECT: Almost everyone attended the marketing conference; the meeting went well. I am going to visit Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colo.; and Wichita, Kan.


Formatting

Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Accreditations & Designations

When an individual has more than one professional designation, use commas (not slashes) to separate them. Academic degrees, such as MBA and PhD, are listed first. Ask the professional the order in which he or she wishes other designations to appear. Designations in all caps do not need periods. Include professional designations on all materials whenever possible.

CORRECT: John Doe, MBA, SIOR, CCIM Jane Doe, Ph.D., SIOR Jane Doe, CPM NOT: John Doe, SIOR/CCIM/MBA

Addresses Separate the parts of an address with commas or line breaks.

CORRECT: Colliers International, Suite 5300, 601 Union Street, Seattle, WA 98101 Colliers International Suite 5300 601 Union Street Seattle, WA 98101

ALL CAPS Never use all capital letters except where templated. The use of all capital letters should not extend beyond four words.

NOT: USING ALL CAPS LOOKS LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING.

Body Copy Use regular sentence capitalization. Do not capitalize every word because it will make reading more difficult.

Use the body copy style (sentence style) for bullets and text smaller than 14 points or longer than 6 words.

Bullet Points Always start a bullet point with a capital letter. Use sentence case (not all caps or title case [first letter capitalized]). Do not allow bullet points to be longer than one sentence. Use a period only after a complete sentence; otherwise, avoid using periods after bulleted text. Do not use commas or semicolons after bulleted text.

CORRECT: • Located near Interstate 5 and Route 91 • Ample parking in secure garage NOTE: When adapting bullets into body copy, be sure to create complete sentences. For example: The building, located near Interstate 5 and Route 91, has ample parking in a secure garage.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Dates & Times Use a colon to separate hours and

minutes; use a space to separate the time from the morning or evening designation (a.m. or p.m.). Hours may be expressed with or without minutes (7 or 7:00) and should be written as numerals, except for noon and midnight, which should be spelled out. The order of dates and times should be: hour, a.m. or p.m., day of the week, month, date, year. For dates, always use numerals, without the superscript of st, nd, rd or th. When indicating only the month and year, there is no comma between them. When a phrase refers to the month, day and year in a sentence, set off the year with a comma on each side.

CORRECT: 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, 2009 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 31, 2009 7:03 p.m., July 31, 2009 He was the top producer in January 2009. Henry was born on May 2, 1982, and John was born on July 4, 1985. We will celebrate on July 31, 2009, with a barbecue and cocktail party. July 2009 NOT: 7pm 7 o'clock Wed, July 31 Wed., July 31 31st of July, 2009 July 31st, 2009

Font Size Readability for text, depending on the font style, ranges from 9 points to 14 points. In general, choose 10.5‐ or 11‐point type for body copy and 9‐ to 10‐point type for ancillary copy (captions, notes, etc.). Letters should be composed in 12‐point type; 11‐point type is also acceptable. When font size is dictated by a template, leave it as is.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Headlines The first rule is to use one case

consistently throughout your document (i.e., the same style for all headlines). The second rule is to follow the Colliers document template for which case to use. In a single document, your headlines may be in one of the following styles: sentence case (capitalize the first word and proper nouns only), title case (capitalize the first letter of each significant word), or all caps. Unless directed to do so by a template, do not use all caps or small caps.

For title case headlines, do not capitalize words such as and, for, to, an, etc. Do not capitalize the unless it is the beginning of the title. Capitalize prepositions of four or more letters, such as across, until, upon, etc. The preferred case for headlines, subheads and the titles of press releases or case studies is sentence case, unless specified otherwise by a template. CORRECT: Gone With the Wind Broker Sells an Office Building Broker sells an office building

Property Boundaries

For graphics in which you need to draw a line around a property, such as on an aerial or map, always designate in red.

CORRECT color details: Pantone 485 CMYK 0, 100, 91, 0

State Abbreviations in Body Copy

Spell out the names of states in text when they appear alone. Abbreviate the state name when it appears in conjunction with the name of a city or town. Use the AP style abbreviations—not the postal code abbreviations in body copy.

CORRECT: He lives in Washington. He toured properties in Phoenix, Ariz.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Seattle, Wash. CORRECT AP Abbreviations: Ala. Ariz. Ark. Calif. Colo. Conn. Del. Fla. Ga. Ill. Ind. Kan. Ky. La. Md. Mass. Mich. Min. Miss. Mo. Mont. Neb. Nev. N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y, N.C. N.D. Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D. Tenn. Vt. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo. EXCEPTIONS: Do not abbreviate these eight states in body copy: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah.

Trademarks Use the trademark symbol ™ or the registered trademark symbol ® in conjunction with proper names in body copy if it is requested by the business entity, such as LEED® or Realtor®. However, for subsequent references within the same document, it is not necessary to repeat these symbols.

Find registration and trademark symbols in your Word 2007 document here: Insert Tab > Symbols> Symbol> Look for it here in the drop‐down menu or choose “More Symbols.”

Web Addresses Do not capitalize Colliers or the local office name in web addresses. Do capitalize FirstService REA.

www.colliers.com www.colliers.com/seattle www.FirstServiceREA.com


Numbers

Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Centuries Decades Years

Use an s without an apostrophe when indicating spans of decades or centuries and to indicate the plural. Use an apostrophe followed by an s after the year for possessives. Use an apostrophe before the year for abbreviations to indicate numerals that are left out. If it will be unclear which century you mean (1909 versus 2009), do not abbreviate.

CORRECT: the 1890s, the 1800s the roaring ’20s, the class of ’62 The election was the biggest news story in the 1980s. CORRECT (possessive): The election was 1980’s biggest news story. I missed the 1990’s Grunge trend. NOTE: 21st Century = 2001‐2100. 20th Century = 1901‐2000. 19th Century = 1801‐1900. The 1900s = 1900‐1999.

Commas Use a comma for numbers greater than 999.

CORRECT: 5,500‐square‐foot office 850‐square‐foot office 13,500 square feet of office space

Decimals

For percentages and decimals, use numerals (not words). For any percentage or decimal less than one, use a zero before the decimal point. Do not exceed two decimal places unless necessary.

Dollars & Cents

Format monetary amounts with the currency sign followed by the quantity. Include the number of cents after the decimal when dealing with specific prices. For even‐numbered dollar amounts, do not include the decimal point or zeros. For amounts less than $1, use words, such as 5 cents or 55 cents. Do not spell out thousand for quantities in the thousands—use the appropriate number of zeros to indicate thousands.

CORRECT: The lease rate is $20 per square foot. It was formerly $20.55 per square foot. The candy was 10 cents. NOT: The space leases for $20.00 per square foot. It was formerly 20 dollars and 55 cents. The candy was $.10.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations E‐mail Signatures Capitalize the first letter of both the first

and last name of the person. Do not capitalize Colliers but do capitalize the F, S, R, E and A in the FirstService address.

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.colliers.com www.FirstServiceREA.com

first second third … 10th 11th 12th

To describe an order or ranking, such as second, use the full word when the ranking is between one and nine. For rankings 10 and higher, use a numeral with two superscript letters.

CORRECT: the fifth‐story office a first‐rate tenant improvement package the eighth tenant to tour the 56th floor NOT: The 5th‐story office A 1st‐rate tenant improvement package

Fractions Simple fractions may be spelled out as words and should be hyphenated. Complex fractions should be converted to decimals when possible. Use figures for precise amounts larger than one, converting to decimals whenever practical.

CORRECT: Three‐quarters of tenants agree. The landlord abated one‐third of the rent. The result was 0.15 higher than before. The landlord abated 28 percent of the rent. two‐thirds, four‐fifths one and one‐quarter (1.25 is preferred)

millions billions

Use a decimal point after the million or billion mark in the number and round to one or two places. Do not abbreviate million or billion except in charts when space is lacking or in headlines when you know your readers will understand the abbreviations. Do not capitalize million and billion. Use the currency sign, not the word ($2, not 2 dollars, for example), except when an actual amount is not referenced. When indicating a range, include the word million or billion with each amount. When using the short form (for example: $1.5M), do not put a space between the number and the M or B.

CORRECT: I have $1.5 million I have $1.52 million I leased 1.5 million square feet. I have $1,520,136. (use all numerals if you need to be exact) $1.5M may be used in charts. The price is between $1.5 million and $3 million. NOT: I have $1.5M (except in charts, tables, etc.) I have 1.5M dollars. I have $1.5 mill. I have $1,520,000. I have 1,520,000 dollars. I have 1,520,000MSF to lease. I have $1.5 Million. The price is between $1.5 and $3 million.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Numerals or Words

Spell out whole numbers nine and lower. Use numerals for 10 and higher. Avoid starting a sentence with a numeral; rephrase the sentence if necessary or spell out the number (except when referencing a calendar year). In body copy, when describing quantities of the same thing, use the numeric form for each when some are less than 10 but some are greater. For numeric ranges, use the word to or an en‐dash with no spaces on either side.

CORRECT: four‐story building 12‐story building This office space is suitable for 40 people. Forty people can occupy this office space. 1945 was a pivotal year in history. Unemployment dropped 0.1 percent to 9 percent. Today I picked 5 apples, yesterday I picked 12, and the day before I picked 40 apples. four‐year school, two‐week vacation Meeting space for 5 to 50 employees. Beverages for 10–15 people. NOT: Unemployment dropped one‐tenth of 1 percent to 9 percent. EXCEPTION: For numeric measurements less than 10, use numerals even when the amount is less than 10. See examples below. CORRECT: (numeric measurements less than 10) 5‐year‐old girl 6‐foot‐tall man 8‐inch sandwich 9‐ounce steak

per (/)

In our business, there are typically two pers used to describe the value of real estate: cost per unit of physical space (such as square feet) and cost per unit of time (months, years). Be sure to clearly define both elements, especially in body copy or bullets that further explain a headline. Spell out the word per when used in body copy (never substitute the word a for per). Use the / sign for tables, charts, headlines and subheads; never put spaces on either side of the symbol.

CORRECT (as a headline): Office space, $20/SF CORRECT (as body copy): Office space is available to lease for $20 per square foot per year. NOT (as body copy): We are offering this at $20/square foot. $10,000 a year, $1,000 a month $10,000 pa (abbreviation for per annum)


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations percent (%)

Spell out the word percent when used in body copy. Percent is written as one word. Use the % sign for tables, charts, headlines and subheads. Use numbers when expressing percentages. If it is less than 1 percent, use a zero before the decimal point. Percent takes a singular verb when standing alone or when a singular word follows an is construction. It takes a plural verb when a plural word follows an of construction.

CORRECT: The building is 85 percent leased. 0.6 percent, 1 percent, 6.5 percent He said 60 percent is a failing grade. He said 50 percent of the members were there. NOT: The building is 85% leased. The building is 85 per cent leased. Six‐tenths of a percent, .6 percent, one percent, 6 and a half percent EXCEPTION: In Canadian press releases, per cent is written as two words due to Canada Press style rules.

Phone Numbers

Colliers uses the simple arrangement with periods, without dashes or spaces. For international numbers, use the + symbol before country codes. Do not use parentheses. Use these terms to designate your numbers: Telephone (Tel); Direct; Mobile; Facsimile (Fax). Direct and Mobile designations are not abbreviated in order to maintain clarity. Do not use the term Cell. If only one contact number is listed, you do not need to designate its purpose (i.e., Tel). Place the phone numbers first to align left. Bold face your primary number.

CORRECT: 206.223.0866 503.223.3123 +64.9.358.1888 +64.21.666.6665 503.555.1212 – Tel 503.555.4444 – Direct 503.555.1233 – Mobile 503.555.3332 – Fax NOT: (503) 555‐1212

Rounding Quantities

Round to the nearest whole or significant number when dealing with larger numbers, such as square feet.

CORRECT: We have 13,522 square feet available. We have 13,500 square feet available. NOT: We have 13 thousand feet available.


Word Rules & Definitions Examples & Explanations Spacing Use one space between numbers and

units (except when discussing currency).

CORRECT: 10,000 SF 10,000 square feet 10,000‐square‐foot building NOT: 10,000SF

style guide master 11 18 09 final draft

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