Glossary J - Z Flashcards
Joint Tenancy
Undivided ownership of a property interest by two or more persons each of whom has a right to an equal share in the interest and a right of survivorship, i.e., the right to share equally with other surviving joint tenants in the interest of a deceased joint tenant.
Judgment Lien
A legal claim on all of the property of a judgment debtor which enables the judgment creditor to have the property sold for payment of the amount of the judgment.
Junior Mortgage
A mortgage recorded subsequently to another mortgage on the same property or made subordinate by agreement to a later recorded mortgage.
Land
The materials of the earth, whatever may be the ingredients of which it is composed, whether soil,
rock, or other substance, and includes free or unoccupied space for an indefinite distance upwards as well as downwards.
Land Trust
A legal agreement where a trustee is appointed to maintain ownership of a piece of real property for the benefit of another party.
Law
The system of rules that a particular country or community recognize as regulating the actions of
its members and may be enforced by the imposition of penalties.
Lead
A material used in pipes and paint of many older homes. We now know that lead is hazardous to
health. The local environmental protection agency should be consulted for guidelines on handling,
removal and applicable laws
Lease
A contract between an owner and tenant, setting forth conditions upon which the tenant may occupy and use the property and the term of the occupancy.
Leasehold Estate
A tenant’s right to occupy real estate during the term of the lease. This is a personal property interest
Legal Description
A land description recognized by law; a description by which property can be definitely located by reference to government surveys or approved recorded maps.
Lessee
One who contracts to rent, occupy, and use property under a lease agreement; a tenant.
Lessor
An owner who enters into a lease agreement with a tenant; a landlord.
Letter of Intent (LOI)
Generally an agreement to agree. It outlines the terms between parties who have not formalized an agreement into a contract. LOIs are generally not binding and unenforceable.
Leverage
The use of borrowed capital (mortgage) to increase the potential return of an investment.
Lien
A form of encumbrance which usually makes specific property security for the payment of a debt or discharge of an obligation.
Life Estate
An estate or interest in real property, which is held for the duration of the life of some certain person. It may be limited by the life of the person holding it or by the life of some other person.
Life Tenant
The owner of a life estate.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
A business structure that combines the pass-through taxation of a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of a corporation
Liquidated Damages
A sum agreed upon by the parties to be full damages if a certain event occurs.
Listing
An employment contract between principal and agent authorizing the agent to perform services for the principal involving the latter’s property; listing contracts are entered into for the purpose of securing
persons to buy, lease, or rent property. Employment of an agent by a prospective purchaser or lessee to
locate property for purchase or lease may be considered a listing.
Littoral Rights
The right of a property owner whose land borders on a body of water, such as a lake, ocean or sea, to reasonable use and enjoyment of the shore and water the property borders on.
Living Trust
An agreement where the trustee holds the legal possession of an asset (e.g. real estate) that belongs to another person, the beneficiary, and it is created while the person is alive.
Loan to Value Ratio (LTV)
The percentage of a property’s value that a lender can or may loan to a borrower
Lot and Blocks
A legal description of land used for plotted properties, stating the number, lot, and block in a particular sub-division.
Lot Area
The area (in square feet) of a zoning lot.
Lot Coverage
That portion of a zoning lot which, when viewed from above, is covered by a building.
Loyalty
An agent’s duty to place the client’s interest above those of all others, including the agent’s own self-interest.
Management Agreement
A contract between the owner of a property and someone who agrees to manage it.
Management Proposal
A document that sets forth the duties of the manager when employed by the owner.
Market Allocation
An agreement between members of a trade to refrain from competition in specific market areas.
Market Value
The highest price in terms of money which a property will bring in a competitive and open market and under all conditions required for a fair sale, i.e., the buyer and seller acting prudently, knowledgeably and neither affected by undue pressures.
Marketable Title
Title which a reasonable purchaser, informed as to the facts and their legal importance and acting with reasonable care, would be willing and ought to accept.
Master Plan
A long-term planning document. It establishes the framework and key elements of a site reflecting a clear vision created and adopted in an open process. It synthesizes civic goals and the public’s aspirations for a project, gives them form and organization, and defines a realistic plan for implementation, including subsequent approvals by public agencies.
Mechanic’s Lien
A lien created by statute which exists against real property in favor of persons who have performed work or furnished materials for the improvement of the real property.
Metes and Bounds
A term used in describing the boundary lines of land, setting forth all the boundary lines together with their terminal points and angles. Metes (length or measurements) and Bounds (boundaries) description is often used when a great deal of accuracy is required.
Mineral Rights
A landowner’s right to receive a portion of the profits of any minerals that are extracted from the land.
Mobile Home
A structure transportable in one or more sections, designed and equipped to contain not more than two dwelling units to be used with or without a foundation system
Modular
A system for the construction of dwellings and other improvements to real property through the
on-site assembly of component parts (modules) that have been mass produced away from the building
site.
Mortgage
An instrument recognized by law by which property is hypothecated to secure the payment of a debt or obligation.
Mortgage Banker
A person whose principal business is the originating, financing, closing, selling and servicing of loans secured by real property for institutional lenders on a contractual basis.
Mortgage Broker
A broker who arranges a mortgage loan between a lender and a borrower for a fee.
Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP)
The amount paid by a mortgagor for mortgage insurance on an FHA-insured loan.
Mortgagee
One to whom a mortgagor gives a mortgage to secure a loan or performance of an obligation; a lender or creditor.
Mortgagor
One who gives a mortgage on his or her property to secure a loan or assure performance of an obligation; a borrower.
Multiple Listing Service
An association of real estate agents providing for a pooling of listings and the sharing of commissions on a specified basis.
Net Lease
A lease requiring a lessee to pay charges against the property such as taxes, insurance and maintenance costs in addition to rental payments.
Net Listing
A listing which provides that the agent may retain as compensation for agent’s services all sums received over and above a net price to the owner.
Novation
The substitution or exchange of a new obligation or contract for an old one by the mutual agreement of the parties.
Obedience
his fiduciary relationship obligates the agent to act in good faith at all times, obeying the client’s instructions in accordance with the contract.
Offer and Acceptance
Elements required for the formation of a legally binding contract. The expression of an offer to contract on certain terms by one person (the “offeror”) to another person (the “offeree”), and an indication by the offeree of its acceptance of those terms.
Open Listing
An authorization given by a property owner to a real estate agent wherein said agent is given the nonexclusive right to secure a purchaser; open listings may be given to any number of agents without liability to compensate any except the one who first secures a buyer ready, willing, and able to meet the terms of the listing, or secures the acceptance by the seller of a satisfactory offer.
Operating Budget
An amount of money set aside by the owner for a specific period for the property manager to manage the property effectively
Operating Budget
An amount of money set aside by the owner for a specific period for the property manager to manage the property effectively
Opinion of Title
An attorney’s written evaluation of the condition of the title to a parcel of land after examination of the abstract of title.
Ostensible Agency
A person who has been given the appearance of being an employee or acting (an agent) for another (principal), which would make anyone dealing with the ostensible agent reasonably believe he/she was an employee or agent.
Package Mortgage
A method of financing in which the loan that finances the purchase of a home also finances the purchase of personal items such as a washer and dryer, refrigerators, stove, and other specified appliances.
Partition
A division of real or personal property or the proceeds therefrom among co-owners.
Partnership
An arrangement in which two or more individuals share the profits and liabilities of a business venture
Percentage Lease
Lease on the property, the rental for which is determined by the amount of business done by the lessee; usually a percentage of gross receipts from the business with provisions for a minimum rent.
Periodic Estate
An interest in land where there is no definite termination date but the rental period is
fixed at a certain sum per week, month, or year. Also called an estate from period to period.
Personal Property
Any property which is not real property.
Police Power – The right of the State to enact laws and enforce them for the order, safety, health, morals
and general welfare of the public.
The right of the State to enact laws and enforce them for the order, safety, health, morals
and general welfare of the public.
Pre-Approval
A step above pre-qualification, an evaluation of a potential borrower by a lender that determines whether the borrower qualifies for a loan from the lender, or the maximum amount that the
lender would be willing to lend.
Pre-Qualification
A process whereby a loan officer takes information from a borrower and makes a
tentative assessment of how much the lending institution is willing to lend them
Prepayment Penalty
The charge payable to a lender by a borrower under the terms of the loan agreement if the borrower pays off the outstanding principal balance of the loan prior to its maturity
Preventive Maintenance
Keeping property and equipment in a good state of repair so as to minimize the need for more costly repair work or replacement.
Price
The amount a purchaser agrees to pay and a seller agrees to accept in an arm’s length transaction
Price Fixing
Conspiring to establish fixed fees or prices for services or products.
Primary Mortgage Market
The marketplace whereby loans are originated.
Principal
The employer of an agent, such as a buyer or seller.
Principle of Anticipation
Affirms that value is created by anticipated benefits to be derived in the future.
Principle of Change
Holds that it is the future, not the past, which is of prime importance in estimating value. Change is largely the result of cause and effect.