What is the term used for stating an opinion that is not a fact?

The term that describes stating an opinion that is not a fact is known as puffing. Puffing refers to the practice of making subjective claims or statements about a property that express an opinion rather than a definitive fact. For instance, saying a house has "the best view in town" is a puffing statement as it reflects the speaker’s opinion rather than an objective measure of the property's viewing capabilities.

Puffing is generally deemed acceptable in real estate transactions as long as it does not mislead the buyer concerning factual matters. This distinguishes it from representations that might be misleading or untrue, like false representation, which involves deceiving someone about a material aspect of a transaction. Since puffing relates to opinions and not to concrete claims, it does not carry the same legal risks associated with dishonest representations of fact.