I've gathered the most important and frequently used real estate terms for this glossary. If you have any questions, I'm happy to help!
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The rate at which available homes are sold in a specific real estate market during a given time period. It is calculated by dividing the total number of available homes by the average number of sales per month.
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A clause in a mortgage which allows the lender to demand payment of the outstanding loan balance for various reasons. The most common reason for accelerating a loan is if the borrower defaults on the loan or transfers title to another individual without informing the lender.
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A mortgage in which the interest changes periodically, according to corresponding fluctuations in an index. All ARMs are tied to indexes.
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The date the interest rate changes on an adjustable-rate mortgage.
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The loan payment consists of a portion which will be applied to pay the accruing interest on a loan, with the remainder being applied to the principal. Over time, the interest portion decreases as the loan balance decreases, and the amount applied to principal increases so that the loan is paid off (amortized) in the specified time.
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This is not the note rate on your loan. It is a value created according to a government formula intended to reflect the true annual cost of borrowing, expressed as a percentage. It works sort of like this, but not exactly, so only use this as a guideline: deduct the closing costs from your loan amount, then using your actual loan payment, calculate what the interest rate would be on this amount instead of your actual loan amount. You will come up with a number close to the APR. Because you are using the same payment on a smaller amount, the APR is always higher than the actual note rate on your loan.
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An individual qualified by education, training, and experience to estimate the value of real property and personal property. Although some appraisers work directly for mortgage lenders, most are independent.
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The increase in the value of a property due to changes in market conditions, inflation, or other causes.
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A public official who establishes the value of a property for taxation purposes.
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Items of value owned by an individual. Assets that can be quickly converted into cash are considered "liquid assets." These include bank accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and so on. Other assets include real estate, personal property, and debts owed to an individual by others.
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When ownership of your mortgage is transferred from one company or individual to another, it is called an assignment.
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A mortgage that can be assumed by the buyer when a home is sold. Usually, the borrower must "qualify" in order to assume the loan.
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AVM stands for automated valuation method. A mathematical modelling algorithm uses available data to determine the value of a property at a point in time. Without an onsite visit in person, this method is far less accurate than a CMA performed by a real estate professional.
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A mortgage loan that requires the remaining principal balance be paid at a specific point in time. For example, a loan may be amortized as if it would be paid over a thirty year period, but requires that at the end of the tenth year the entire remaining balance must be paid.
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The final lump sum payment that is due at the termination of a balloon mortgage.
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By filing in federal bankruptcy court, an individual or individuals can restructure or relieve themselves of debts and liabilities. Bankruptcies are of various types, but the most common for an individual seem to be a "Chapter 7 No Asset" bankruptcy which relieves the borrower of most types of debts. A borrower cannot usually qualify for an "A" paper loan for a period of two years after the bankruptcy has been discharged and requires the re-establishment of an ability to repay debt.
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A written document that transfers title to personal property. For example, when selling an automobile to acquire funds which will be used as a source of down payment or for closing costs, the lender will usually require the bill of sale (in addition to other items) to help document this source of funds.
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Not used much anymore, bridge loans are obtained by those who have not yet sold their previous property, but must close on a purchase property. The bridge loan becomes the source of their funds for the down payment. One reason for their fall from favor is that there are more and more second mortgage lenders now that will lend at a high loan to value. In addition, sellers often prefer to accept offers from buyers who have already sold their property.
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Broker has several meanings in different situations. Most Realtors are "agents" who work under a "broker." Some agents are brokers as well, either working form themselves or under another broker. In the mortgage industry, broker usually refers to a company or individual that does not lend the money for the loans themselves, but broker loans to larger lenders or investors. (See the Home Loan Library that discusses the different types of lenders). As a normal definition, a broker is anyone who acts as an agent, bringing two parties together for any type of transaction and earns a fee for doing so.
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Usually refers to a fixed rate mortgage where the interest rate is "bought down" for a temporary period, usually one to three years. After that time and for the remainder of the term, the borrower's payment is calculated at the note rate.
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A document issued by the Veterans Administration that certifies a veteran's eligibility for a VA loan.
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Once the appraisal has been performed on a property being bought with a VA loan, the Veterans Administration issues a CRV.
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An analysis of the transfers of title to a piece of property over the years.
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A title that is free of liens or legal questions as to ownership of the property.
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This has different meanings in different states. In some states a real estate transaction is not consider "closed" until the documents record at the local recorders office. In others, the "closing" is a meeting where all of the documents are signed and money changes hands.
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Closing costs are separated into what are called "non-recurring closing costs" and "pre-paid items." Non-recurring closing costs are any items which are paid just once as a result of buying the property or obtaining a loan. "Pre-paids" are items which recur over time, such as property taxes and homeowners insurance. A lender makes an attempt to estimate the amount of non-recurring closing costs and prepaid items on the Good Faith Estimate which they must issue to the borrower within three days of receiving a home loan application.
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Any conditions revealed by a title search that adversely affect the title to real estate. Usually clouds on title cannot be removed except by deed, release, or court action.
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In a home loan, the property is the collateral. The borrower risks losing the property if the loan is not repaid according to the terms of the mortgage or deed of trust.
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A commission payment for work completed. Commissions are paid out of the charges paid by the seller (or rarely the buyer) in the purchase transaction.
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Those portions of a building, land, and amenities owned (or managed) by a planned unit development (PUD) or condominium project's homeowners' association (or a cooperative project's cooperative corporation) that are used by all of the unit owners, who share in the common expenses of their operation and maintenance. Common areas include swimming pools, tennis courts, and other recreational facilities, as well as common corridors of buildings, parking areas, means of ingress and egress, etc.
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In some areas they are called Homeowners Association Fees. They are charges paid to the Homeowners Association by the owners of the individual units in a condominium or planned unit development (PUD) and are generally used to maintain the property and common areas.
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In some states, especially the southwest, property acquired by a married couple during their marriage is considered to be owned jointly, except under special circumstances. This is an outgrowth of the Spanish and Mexican heritage of the area.
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Recent sales of similar properties in nearby areas and used to help determine the market value of a property. Also referred to as "comps."
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A type of ownership in real property where all of the owners own the property, common areas and buildings together, with the exception of the interior of the unit to which they have title. Often mistakenly referred to as a type of construction or development, it actually refers to the type of ownership.
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Changing the ownership of an existing building (usually a rental project) to the condominium form of ownership.
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A short-term, interim loan for financing the cost of construction. The lender makes payments to the builder at periodic intervals as the work progresses.
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A condition that must be met before a contract is legally binding. For example, home purchasers often include a contingency that specifies that the contract is not binding until the purchaser obtains a satisfactory home inspection report from a qualified home inspector.
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Refers to home loans other than government loans, such as VA or FHA.
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A type of multiple ownership in which the residents of a multiunit housing complex own shares in the cooperative corporation that owns the property, giving each resident the right to occupy a specific apartment or unit.
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A report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's creditworthiness.
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The total number of days that a property has been on the market, including the use of multiple listing numbers. (see also DoM)
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The number of days from the listing date to today. (see also CDoM)
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The legal document conveying title to a property.
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Short for "deed in lieu of foreclosure," this conveys title to the lender when the borrower is in default and wants to avoid foreclosure. The lender may or may not cease foreclosure activities if a borrower asks to provide a deed-in-lieu. Regardless of whether the lender accepts the deed-in-lieu, the avoidance and non-repayment of debt will most likely show on a credit history. What a deed-in-lieu may prevent is having the documents preparatory to a foreclosure being recorded and become a matter of public record.
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Some states, like California, do not record mortgages. Instead, they record a deed of trust which performs the same function.
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Deed restrictions are private agreements that restrict the use of the real estate in some way and are listed in the deed.
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Failure to make the mortgage payment within a specified period of time. For first mortgages or first trust deeds, if a payment has still not been made within 30 days of the due date, the loan is considered to be in default.
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Failure to make mortgage payments when mortgage payments are due. For most mortgages, payments are due on the first day of the month. Even though they may not charge a "late fee" for a number of days, the payment is still considered to be late and the loan delinquent. When a loan payment is more than 30 days late, most lenders report the late payment to one or more credit bureaus.
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A decline in the value of property; the opposite of appreciation.
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In the mortgage industry, this term is usually used in only in reference to government loans, meaning FHA and VA loans. Discount points refer to any "points" paid in addition to the one percent loan origination fee. A "point" is one percent of the loan amount.
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The part of the purchase price of a property that the buyer pays in cash and does not finance with a mortgage.
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A deposit made by the potential home buyer to show that he or she is serious about buying the house. If the contract proceeds to a closing, this money is credited to the buyer. If not, there are terms in the contract as to how the money is to be distributed.
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A right of way giving persons other than the owner access to or over a property.
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An appraiser's estimate of the physical condition of a building. The actual age of a building may be shorter or longer than its effective age.
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The right of a government to take private property for public use upon payment of its fair market value. Eminent domain is the basis for condemnation proceedings.
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An improvement that intrudes illegally on another's property.
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Anything that affects or limits the fee simple title to a property, such as mortgages, leases, easements, or restrictions.
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A federal law that requires lenders and other creditors to make credit equally available without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, or receipt of income from public assistance programs.
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A homeowner's financial interest in a property. Equity is the difference between the fair market value of the property and the amount still owed on its mortgage and other liens.
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An item of value, money, or documents deposited with a third party to be delivered upon the fulfillment of a condition. For example, the earnest money deposit is put into escrow until delivered to the seller when the transaction is closed.
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Once you close your purchase transaction, you may have an escrow account or impound account with your lender. This means the amount you pay each month includes an amount above what would be required if you were only paying your principal and interest. The extra money is held in your impound account (escrow account) for the payment of items like property taxes and homeowner's insurance when they come due. The lender pays them with your money instead of you paying them yourself.
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The ownership interest of an individual in real property. The sum total of all the real property and personal property owned by an individual at time of death.
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The lawful expulsion of an occupant from real property.
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The report on the title of a property from the public records or an abstract of the title.
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A written contract that gives a licensed real estate agent the exclusive right to sell a property for a specified time.
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A person named in a will to administer an estate. The court will appoint an administrator if no executor is named. "Executrix" is the feminine form.
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A consumer protection law that regulates the disclosure of consumer credit reports by consumer/credit reporting agencies and establishes procedures for correcting mistakes on one's credit record.
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The highest price that a buyer, willing but not compelled to buy, would pay, and the lowest a seller, willing but not compelled to sell, would accept.
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The Federal National Mortgage Association, which is a congressionally chartered, shareholder-owned company that is the nation's largest supplier of home mortgage funds. For a discussion of the roles of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac (FHLMC), and Ginnie Mae (GNMA), see the Library.
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An agency of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Its main activity is the insuring of residential mortgage loans made by private lenders. The FHA sets standards for construction and underwriting but does not lend money or plan or construct housing.
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Fee simple is an estate in land. It is the most common way real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property.
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A mortgage that is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Along with VA loans, an FHA loan will often be referred to as a government loan.
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The mortgage that is in first place among any loans recorded against a property.
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A mortgage in which the interest rate does not change during the entire term of the loan.
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Personal property that becomes real property when attached in a permanent manner to real estate.
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Insurance that compensates for physical property damage resulting from flooding. It is required for properties located in federally designated flood areas.
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The legal process by which a borrower in default under a mortgage is deprived of his or her interest in the mortgaged property. This usually involves a forced sale of the property at public auction with the proceeds of the sale being applied to the mortgage debt.
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A government-owned corporation within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Created by Congress on September 1, 1968, GNMA performs the same role as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in providing funds to lenders for making home loans. The difference is that Ginnie Mae provides funds for government loans (FHA and VA)
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The person to whom an interest in real property is conveyed.
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The person conveying an interest in real property.
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Insurance coverage that in the event of physical damage to a property from fire, wind, vandalism, or other hazards. This is the most common form of homeowner's insurance.
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A mortgage loan, usually in second position, that allows the borrower to obtain cash drawn against the equity of his home, up to a predetermined amount.
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A thorough inspection by a professional that evaluates the structural and mechanical condition of a property. A satisfactory home inspection is often included as a contingency by the purchaser.
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A nonprofit association that manages the common areas of a planned unit development (PUD) or condominium project. In a condominium project, it has no ownership interest in the common elements. In a PUD project, it holds title to the common elements.
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An insurance policy that combines personal liability insurance and hazard insurance coverage for a dwelling and its contents.
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A type of insurance often purchased by homebuyers that will cover repairs to certain items, such as heating or air conditioning, should they break down within the coverage period. The buyer often requests the seller to pay for this coverage as a condition of the sale, but either party can pay.
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A document that provides an itemized listing of the funds that were paid at closing. Items that appear on the statement include real estate commissions, loan fees, points, and initial escrow (impound) amounts. Each type of expense goes on a specific numbered line on the sheet. The totals at the bottom of the HUD-1 statement define the seller's net proceeds and the buyer's net payment at closing. It is called a HUD1 because the form is printed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The HUD1 statement is also known as the "closing statement" or "settlement sheet."
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A form of ownership or taking title to property which means each party owns the whole property and that ownership is not separate. In the event of the death of one party, the survivor owns the property in its entirety.
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A decision made by a court of law. In judgments that require the repayment of a debt, the court may place a lien against the debtor's real property as collateral for the judgment's creditor.
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A written agreement between the property owner and a tenant that stipulates the payment and conditions under which the tenant may possess the real estate for a specified period of time.
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A way of holding title to a property wherein the mortgagor does not actually own the property but rather has a recorded long-term lease on it.
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An alternative financing option that allows home buyers to lease a home with an option to buy. Each month's rent payment may consist of not only the rent, but an additional amount which can be applied toward the down payment on an already specified price.
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A property description, recognized by law, that is sufficient to locate and identify the property without oral testimony.
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A term which can refer to the institution making the loan or to the individual representing the firm. For example, loan officers are often referred to as "lenders."
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Insurance coverage that offers protection against claims alleging that a property owner's negligence or inappropriate action resulted in bodily injury or property damage to another party. It is usually part of a homeowner's insurance policy.
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A legal claim against a property that must be paid off when the property is sold. A mortgage or first trust deed is considered a lien.
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An agreement by a commercial bank or other financial institution to extend credit up to a certain amount for a certain time to a specified borrower.
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A cash asset or an asset that is easily converted into cash.
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A sum of borrowed money (principal) that is generally repaid with interest.
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Also referred to by a variety of other terms, such as lender, loan representative, loan "rep," account executive, and others. The loan officer serves several functions and has various responsibilities: they solicit loans, they are the representative of the lending institution, and they represent the borrower to the lending institution.
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How a lender refers to the process of obtaining new loans.
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After you obtain a loan, the company you make the payments to is "servicing" your loan. They process payments, send statements, manage the escrow/impound account, provide collection efforts on delinquent loans, ensure that insurance and property taxes are made on the property, handle pay-offs and assumptions, and provide a variety of other services.
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The percentage relationship between the amount of the loan and the appraised value or sales price (whichever is lower).
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An agreement in which the lender guarantees a specified interest rate for a certain amount of time at a certain cost.
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The date on which the principal balance of a loan, bond, or other financial instrument becomes due and payable.
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A legal document that pledges a property to the lender as security for payment of a debt. Instead of mortgages, some states use First Trust Deeds.
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For a more complete discussion of mortgage banker, see "Types of Lenders." A mortgage banker is generally assumed to originate and fund their own loans, which are then sold on the secondary market, usually to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Ginnie Mae. However, firms rather loosely apply this term to themselves, whether they are true mortgage bankers or simply mortgage brokers or correspondents.
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A mortgage company that originates loans, then places those loans with a variety of other lending institutions with whom they usually have pre-established relationships.
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Insurance that covers the lender against some of the losses incurred as a result of a default on a home loan. Often mistakenly referred to as PMI, which is actually the name of one of the larger mortgage insurers. Mortgage insurance is usually required in one form or another on all loans that have a loan-to-value higher than eighty percent. Mortgages above 80% LTV that call themselves "No MI" are usually a made at a higher interest rate. Instead of the borrower paying the mortgage insurance premiums directly, they pay a higher interest rate to the lender, which then pays the mortgage insurance themselves. Also, FHA loans and certain first-time homebuyer programs require mortgage insurance regardless of the loan-to-value.
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The amount paid by a mortgagor for mortgage insurance, either to a government agency such as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or to a private mortgage insurance (MI) company.
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Properties that provide separate housing units for more than one family, although they secure only a single mortgage.
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Online database of real estate properties, sold and for sale, for a given geographic area.
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Some adjustable rate mortgages allow the interest rate to fluctuate independently of a required minimum payment. If a borrower makes the minimum payment it may not cover all of the interest that would normally be due at the current interest rate. In essence, the borrower is deferring the interest payment, which is why this is called "deferred interest." The deferred interest is added to the balance of the loan and the loan balance grows larger instead of smaller, which is called negative amortization.
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Many lenders offer loans that you can obtain at "no cost." You should inquire whether this means there are no "lender" costs associated with the loan, or if it also covers the other costs you would normally have in a purchase or refinance transactions, such as title insurance, escrow fees, settlement fees, appraisal, recording fees, notary fees, and others. These are fees and costs which may be associated with buying a home or obtaining a loan, but not charged directly by the lender. Keep in mind that, like a "no-point" loan, the interest rate will be higher than if you obtain a loan that has costs associated with it.
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A legal document that obligates a borrower to repay a mortgage loan at a stated interest rate during a specified period of time.
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The interest rate stated on a mortgage note.
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A formal written notice to a borrower that a default has occurred and that legal action may be taken.
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The total amount of principal owed on a mortgage before any payments are made.
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On a government loan the loan origination fee is one percent of the loan amount, but additional points may be charged which are called "discount points." One point equals one percent of the loan amount. On a conventional loan, the loan origination fee refers to the total number of points a borrower pays.
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A property purchase transaction in which the property seller provides all or part of the financing.
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Any property that is not real property.
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A type of ownership where individuals actually own the building or unit they live in, but common areas are owned jointly with the other members of the development or association. Contrast with condominium, where an individual actually owns the airspace of his unit, but the buildings and common areas are owned jointly with the others in the development or association.
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A point is 1 percent of the amount of the mortgage.
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A legal document that authorizes another person to act on one's behalf. A power of attorney can grant complete authority or can be limited to certain acts and/or certain periods of time.
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A loosely used term which is generally taken to mean that a borrower has completed a loan application and provided debt, income, and savings documentation which an underwriter has reviewed and approved. A pre-approval is usually done at a certain loan amount and making assumptions about what the interest rate will actually be at the time the loan is actually made, as well as estimates for the amount that will be paid for property taxes, insurance and others. A pre-approval applies only to the borrower. Once a property is chosen, it must also meet the underwriting guidelines of the lender. Contrast with pre-qualification.
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Any amount paid to reduce the principal balance of a loan before the due date. Payment in full on a mortgage that may result from a sale of the property, the owner's decision to pay off the loan in full, or a foreclosure. In each case, prepayment means payment occurs before the loan has been fully amortized.
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A fee that may be charged to a borrower who pays off a loan before it is due.
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This usually refers to the loan officer's written opinion of the ability of a borrower to qualify for a home loan, after the loan officer has made inquiries about debt, income, and savings. The information provided to the loan officer may have been presented verbally or in the form of documentation, and the loan officer may or may not have reviewed a credit report on the borrower. Not to be confused with pre-approval.
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The interest rate that banks charge to their preferred customers. Changes in the prime rate are widely publicized in the news media and are used as the indexes in some adjustable rate mortgages, especially home equity lines of credit. Changes in the prime rate do not directly affect other types of mortgages, but the same factors that influence the prime rate also affect the interest rates of mortgage loans.
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The amount borrowed or remaining unpaid. The part of the monthly payment that reduces the remaining balance of a mortgage.
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The four components of a monthly mortgage payment on impounded loans. Principal refers to the part of the monthly payment that reduces the remaining balance of the mortgage. Interest is the fee charged for borrowing money. Taxes and insurance refer to the amounts that are paid into an escrow account each month for property taxes and mortgage and hazard insurance.
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Also sknown as lenders mortgage insurance (LMI), private mortgage insurance is provided by a private mortgage insurance company to protect lenders against loss if a borrower defaults. Most lenders generally require PMI for a loan with a loan-to-value (LTV) percentage in excess of 80 percent.
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A written promise to repay a specified amount over a specified period of time.
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A meeting in an announced public location to sell property to repay a mortgage that is in default.
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A written contract signed by the buyer and seller stating the terms and conditions under which a property will be sold.
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A deed that transfers without warranty whatever interest or title a grantor may have at the time the conveyance is made.
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A commitment issued by a lender to a borrower or other mortgage originator guaranteeing a specified interest rate for a specified period of time at a specific cost.
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A person licensed to negotiate and transact the sale of real estate. Not all real estate agents are Realtors, but all Realtors must be real estate agents or brokers first.
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A consumer protection law that requires lenders to give borrowers advance notice of closing costs.
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Land and appurtenances, including anything of a permanent nature such as structures, trees, minerals, and the interest, benefits, and inherent rights thereof.
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A real estate agent, broker or an associate who holds active membership in a local real estate board that is affiliated with the National Association of Realtors.
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The public official who keeps records of transactions that affect real property in the area. Sometimes known as a "Registrar of Deeds" or "County Clerk."
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Insurance that protects a landlord against loss of rent or rental value due to fire or other casualty that renders the leased premises unavailable for use and as a result of which the tenant is excused from paying rent.
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An arrangement made to repay delinquent installments or advances.
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A credit arrangement, such as a credit card, that allows a customer to borrow against a preapproved line of credit when purchasing goods and services. The borrower is billed for the amount that is actually borrowed plus any interest due.
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A provision in an agreement that requires the owner of a property to give another party the first opportunity to purchase or lease the property before he or she offers it for sale or lease to others.
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The right to enter or leave designated premises.
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In joint tenancy, the right of survivors to acquire the interest of a deceased joint tenant.
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A technique in which a seller deeds property to a buyer for a consideration, and the buyer simultaneously leases the property back to the seller.
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A mortgage that has a lien position subordinate to the first mortgage.
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The buying and selling of existing mortgages, usually as part of a "pool" of mortgages.
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A loan that is backed by collateral.
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The property that will be pledged as collateral for a loan.
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An organization that collects principal and interest payments from borrowers and manages borrowers' escrow accounts. The servicer often services mortgages that have been purchased by an investor in the secondary mortgage market.
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A housing development that is created by dividing a tract of land into individual lots for sale or lease.
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A drawing or map showing the precise legal boundaries of a property, the location of improvements, easements, rights of way, encroachments, and other physical features.
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Contribution to the construction or rehabilitation of a property in the form of labor or services rather than cash.
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As opposed to joint tenancy, when there are two or more individuals on title to a piece of property, this type of ownership does not pass ownership to the others in the event of death.
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A process by which a lender uses another party to completely or partially originate, process, underwrite, close, fund, or package the mortgages it plans to deliver to the secondary mortgage market.
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A legal document evidencing a person's right to or ownership of a property.
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A company that specializes in examining and insuring titles to real estate.
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Insurance that protects the lender (lender's policy) or the buyer (owner's policy) against loss arising from disputes over ownership of a property.
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A check of the title records to ensure that the seller is the legal owner of theproperty and that there are no liens or other claims outstanding.
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Any means by which the ownership of a property changes hands. Lenders consider all of the following situations to be a transfer of ownership: the purchase of a property "subject to" the mortgage, the assumption of the mortgage debt by the property purchaser, and any exchange of possession of the property under a land sales contract or any other land trust device.
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State or local tax payable when title passes from one owner to another.
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A federal law that requires lenders to fully disclose, in writing, the terms and conditions of a mortgage, including the annual percentage rate (APR) and other charges.
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A fiduciary who holds or controls property for the benefit of another.
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A mortgage that is guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
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Having the right to use a portion of a fund such as an individual retirement fund. For example, individuals who are 100 percent vested can withdraw all of the funds that are set aside for them in a retirement fund. However, taxes may be due on any funds that are actually withdrawn.
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An agency of the federal government that guarantees residential mortgages made to eligible veterans of the military services. The guarantee protects the lender against loss and thus encourages lenders to make mortgages to veterans.
