Real Estate Definitions Flashcards
Latent Defects
Defects that are not visible or apparent
Lease, Fixed
A lease in which the rent is a set amount, and the landlord pays most or all of the operating expenses (such as utilities, taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs). Also called a flat lease, gross lease, or straight lease.
Lease, Graduated
A lease in which it is agreed the the rental payments will increase at intervals by a specified amount or according to a specified formula.
Lease, Percentage
A lease in which at least part of the rent is based on the tenant’s monthly or annual gross sales.
leasehold
A possessory interest in real property that has a limited duration, such as an estate for years or a periodic tenancy. Also called a less-than-freehold estate.
leverage
The effective use of borrowed money to finance an investment such as real estate
License
- Official permission to do a particular thing that the law does not allow everyone to do. 2. Revocable, non-assignable permission to use another person’s land for a particular purpose.
Lien
A nonpossessory interest in real property, giving the holder the right to foreclose if the owner doesn’t pay a debt owed to the holder; a financial encumbrance on the owner’s title.
lien, construction
A lien on property in favor of someone who provided labor or materials to improve it. Also called a mechanic’s lien or materialman’s lien.
lien, general
A lien against all the property of a debtor, rather than a particular piece of his or her property.
lien priority
The order in which liens are paid off out of the proceeds of a foreclosure sale.
life estate
A freehold estate that lasts only as long as a specified person lives. That person is referred to as the measuring life.
life estate per autre vie
Meaning “for another life;” a life estate in which the measuring life is someone other than the life tenant.
life tenant
Someone who owns a life estate; the person entitled to possession of the property during the measuring life
lis pendent
A recorded notice stating that there is a lawsuit pending that may affect title to the defendant’s real estate
Listing, exclusive agency
A listing agreement that entitles the brokerage to a commission if anyone other than the seller finds a buyer for the property during the listing form.
Listing, Exclusive Right to Sell
A listing agreement that entitles the brokerage to a commission if anyone–including the seller–finds a buyer for the property during the listing term.
Listing, Open
A nonexclusive listing, given by a seller to as many brokerages as he or she chooses. If the property is sold, a brokerage is entitled to a commission only if it was the procuring cause of the state.
Littoral Rights
The water rights of the power of land that borders water the is not flowing, such as a lake or ocean.
Loan, Amortized
A loan that requires regular installment payments of other principal and interest
Loan, Construction
A loan to finance the cost of constructing a building, usually providing that the loan funds will be advanced in installments as the work progresses. Also called an interim loan.
Loan, Interest-only
A loan that requires the borrower to pay only the interest during the loan term, with the principal due at the end of the term. Also called a term loan.
Loan, Take-out
Long-term financing used to replace a construction loan (an interim loan) when construction has been completed. Also called a permanent loan.
Loan-to-Value Ration (LTV)
The relationship between the loan amount and either the sales price or the appraised value of the property (whichever is less), expressed as a percentage.
Maker
The person who signs a promissory note, promising to repay a debt
Margin
In an adjustable-rate mortgage, the difference between then index rate and the interest rate charged to the borrower.
Market Price
- The current price generally being charged for something in the marketplace. 2. The price actually paid for a property.
Material Fact
Information that has substantial negative impact on the value of the property, on a party’s ability to perform, or on the purpose of the transaction.
Merger
- Uniting two or more separate properties by transferring ownership of all of them to one person. 2. When the owner of the parcel acquires title to one on more adjacent parcels.
Metes and Bounds Description
A type of legal description that starts at an identification point of beginning, then describes the property’s boundaries in terms of courses (compass directions) and distances, ultimately returning to the point of beginning.
Mortgage
An instrument that creates a voluntary client on real property to secure repayment of a debt, and which does not include a power of sale, so it can only be foreclosed judicially; the parties are the mortgage (borrower) and mortgagee (lender)
Mortgage, Blanket
A mortgage that covers more than one parcel of property
Mortgage, Budget
A loan in which the monthly payments include a share of the property taxes and insurance, in addition to principal and interest; the lender places the money for taxes and insurance in an impound account
Mortgage, Hard Money
A mortgage given to a lender in exchange for cash, as opposed to one given to exchange for credit
Mortgage, Open-End
A loan that permits the borrower to re borrow the money she has repaid on the principal, usually up to the original loan amount, without executing a new loan agreement.
Mortgage, Package
A mortgage that is secured by certain items of personal property (such as appliances or carpeting) in addition to the real property.
Mortgage, Purchase Money
- When a seller extends credit a buyer to finance the purchase of the property, accepting a deed of trust or mortgage instead of cash. Sometimes called a carry back loan. 2. In a more general sense, any loan the borrower uses to buy the security property (as opposed to a loan secured by property the borrower already owns)
Mortgages, Reverse
An arrangement in which is homeowner mortgages the home to a lender in exchange for a monthly check from the lender.
Mortgage Term
An interest-only loan, in which the borrower’s regular payments during the loan term cover the interest on the loan, without paying any of the principal; the entire principal is due as as a balloon payment at the end of the loan term
Mortgage, Wraparound
A purchase money loan arrangement in which the seller uses part of the buyer’s payments to make the payments on an existing loan (called an underlying loan); the buyer takes title subject to the underlying loan, but does not assume it.
Mortgagor
A property owner (usually a borrower) who gives a mortgage to another (usually a lender) as security for payment of an obligation.
Nonconforming Use
A property use that does not conform to current zoning requirements, but is allwoed because the property was being used in that way before the present zonging ordinace was enacted.
Notary Public
Someone who is officialy authorized to witness and certify the acknowledgement made by someone signing a legal document.
Note, Installment
A promissory note that calls for regular payments of principal and interst unti the debt is fully paid.
Note, Straight
A promissory note that calls for regular payments of interest only, so that the entire principal amount is due in one lump sum at the end of the loan term.
Notice, Constructive
Knowledge of a fact imputed to a person by law. A person is held to have this wen he or she should have known the fact (because he or she could have learned it through reasonable diligence or an inspection of the public record), even if he or she did not actually know it.
Novation
When one party to a contract withdraws and a new party is submitted, relieving the withdrawing party of liability. 2. THe substitution of a new obligation for an old one.
Obsolescence, External
Loss is value resulting from factors outside the property itself, such as proximity to an airport. Also called economic obsolescence or external inadequacy.
Obsolescence, Functional
Loss of value due to inadequate or outmoded equipment, or as a result of a poor or outmoded design.
Option
A contract giving one party the right to do something, without obligating him or her to do it.
Origination Fee
A fee a lender charges a borrower upon making a new loan, intended to cover the administrative costs of making the loan. Also called a loan fee.
Partial Reconveyance
The instrument given to the borrower when part of the security property is realeased from a blanket deed of trust under a partial release clause.
Partnership, General
A partnership in which each member has an equal right to manage the business and share in teh profits, as well as equal responsibilty for the partnership’s debts
Partnership, Limited
A partnership made up of one or more general partners and one or more limited partners
Percoloation Test
A test that measures the rate at which water passes through soil, usually performed in order to assess whether soil on a property is suitable for a septic system
Personal Property
Any property that is not real property; movable property not affixed to land. Also called chattels or personalty.
Plottage
The increment of value that results when two or more lots are combined to produce a greater value
Police Power
The constiutional power of state and local governments to enact and enforce laws for the protection of the public’s health, safety, morals, and general welfare
Possibility of Reverter
In a qualified (or limited) fee estate, the chance that the estate will revert back to the grantor automatically if the condition attached to the estate is violated.
Power of Attorney
An instrument authorizing one person (the attorny in fact) to act as another’s agent, to the extent state in the instrument
Prepayment Penalty
A penalty charged to a borrower who prepays
Principal
One who grants another person (an agent) authority to represent him or her in dealings with third parties. 2. One of the parties to a transaction (such as buyer or seller), as opposed to those who are invovled as agents or employees (such as a real estate or escrow agent). 3. In regard to a loan, the amount originally borrowed, as opposed to the interest.
Procurring Cause
The real estate agent who is primarily responsibly for bringing about a sale (for example, by negotiating the agreement between the buyer and seller).
Probate Court
A court that oversees the distribution of property under a will or inestate succession
Profit
The right to enter another’s land to remove somthing from the soil such as oil, gas or crops.
Proration
The process of dividing or allocating something (especially a sum of money or an expense) proportionally, according to time, interest, or benefit
Progression, Principle of
An appraisal principle which holds that a property of lesser value tends to be worth more when it is located in an area with properties of greater value than it would be if located elsewhere.
Quiet Title Action
A lawsuit to determine who has title to a piece of property, or to remove a cloud from the title
Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)
A real estate investment business with at least 100 investors organized as a trust.
Redemption
- When a defaulting borrower prevents foreclosure by paying the full amount of the debt, plus costs. 2. WHen a mortgagor regains the proeprty after foreclosure by paying whatever teh foreclosure sale purchaser paid for it, plus interest and expenses.
Redlining
When a lender refuses to make loans secured by property in a certain neighnorhood because of the racial or ethnic composisiton of the neighborhood.
Regression, Principle of
An appriasal principle which hods that a valuable property surrounded by properties of lesser value will tend to be worth less than it would be in a different location.
Remainder
A future interest that becomes possessory when a life estate terminates, and that is held by someone other than the grantor of the life estate.
Remainderman
The person who has an estate in remainder
Rescission
When a contract is terminated and each party gives anything acquired under the contract back tot he other party. (The verb form is rescind.)
RESPA
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act; a federal law that requires lenders to disclose certain information about closing costs to loan applicants.
Sales Comparison Approach
One of the three main methods of appraisal, in whih the sales prices of comparable properties are used to estimate the value of the subject property. Also called the market data approach.
Setback Requirements
Provisions in a zoning ordinance that do not allow structures to be built within a certain distance of the property line.
Settlement Statement
A document that presents the final, detailed accounting for a real estate transaction, listing each party’s debits and creidts and the amount each will receive or be required to pay at closing. Also called a closing statement.
Ownership in Severalty
Ownership by a single individual
Special Assessment
A tax levieved only against the properties that have benefited from a public improvement (such as a sewer or a street light), to cover the cost of the improvement.
Specific Performance
A legal remedy in which a court orders someone who has breached to actually perform the contract as a agreed, rather than simply paying money damages
Spot Survey
With this report, the surveyor will find an old survey on the property and then go look at the property and update the original survey by adding new structurs to the report
Statute of Frauds
A law that requires certain types of contracts to be in writing and signed in order to be enforceable.
Statute of Limitations
A law requiring a particular type of lawsuit to be filed within a specificed time after the even giving rise to the suit occured.
Steering
Channeling prospective buyers or tenants to or away from particular neighborhoods based on their race, religion, national origin, or ancestry.
Stigmatized Property
When the propety (or a neighboring property) was the site of a violent crime, suicide or other death, drug activity, or some other negative occurrence.
Sublease
When a tenat grants someone else the right to possession of the leased property for part of the remainder of the lease term. Also called a sandwich lease.
Subordination Clause
A provision in a mortgage or deed of trust that permits a later mortgage or deed or trust to have higher lien priority than the one containing the clause.
Substitution, Principle of
A principle of appraisal holding that hte maximum value of a property is set by how much it would cost to obtain another property that is equally desirable, assuming that there would not be a long delay or signficianct incidental expenses invovled in obtainnig the substitute.
Surrender
The giving up an estate (such as a life estate or leasehold) before it has expired
Survivorship, Right of
A characteristic of joint tenancy; surviving joint tenants automatically acquire a deceased joint tenant’s interest in the property
Tax, Progressive
A tax, such as a federal income tax, that imposses a higher tax rate on a taxpayer who earns a higher income.
Tax, Transfer
The tax paid by the seller at closing, based on the selling price of the property; also known as an excise tax in Wahsington, or stamp tax or documentary tax in other states.
Tax Credit
A credit that is subtracted directly from the amount of tax owed.
Tax-Deferred Exchange
A transaction in which a piece of property held for investment or used in a trade or business is traded for a piece of like-kind property, thus diferring tax on the gain; also called a tax-free exchange, or a Section 1031 exchange.
Tax Shelter
Any investment that generates income while also serving to shelter investors from tax liability on that income (such as real estate).
Tenancy, Joint
A form of concurrent ownership in whih the co-owners have unity of time, title, interest, and possession and the right of surviviorship.
Tenancy, Periodic
A leasehodl estate that continues for successive periods of equal length (such as from week to week or month to month), until terminated by property ntoice from either party. Also called a month-to-mont (or week-to-week, etc.) tenancy.
Tenancy at Sufferancy
When a tenat (who enteretd into possession of the property lawfully) stay on after the lease ends without the landlord’s permission.
Tenancy in Common
A form of concurrent ownership in which two or more persons each have an undivided interest in the entire property but no right of survivorship.
Tenement, Dominant
Property that receives the benefit of an easement, appurtenant.
Tenement, Servient
Property burdened by an easement
Time is of the Essence
A clause in contract that means performance on the exact dates specified is an essential element of the contract; failure to perform on time is a material breach.
Title, Equitable
The vendee’s interest in propety under a land contract. Also called an equitable interest.