Words matter. And real estate is no exception — especially in conversations with investors.

According to a new year-long study titled, Building Opportunities: The Compelling Language of Real Estate Investment Trusts from global investment management firm Invesco Ltd. and research-driven language strategy firm Maslansky + Partners, language can complicate real estate deals. 

The study found that many commonplace words and phrases used in today’s real estate conversations fall may short when used in discussions with investors. One reason why may be that, while most financial professionals understand the importance of including potential benefits in communications with clients, many do not know how to articulate them using words that fully resonate with investors (or the rest of us, for that matter).