We created this real estate glossary to help you better understand real estate jargon. Our glossary is chalk full of definitions and informational links to help you better understand all that real estate jargon.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
Annuity
Application Fee
Appraisal
Appraiser
Appreciation
Arbitration
Asbestos
Assessed Value
Assessor
Asset
Assignment of Mortgage
Automated Underwriting
Balance Sheet
Balloon Mortgage
Balloon Payment
Bankruptcy
Before-tax Income
Biweekly Payment Mortgage
Bona fide
Broker
Building Code
Buydown Account
Cap
Cash-out Refinance
Chain of Title
Change Orders
Clear Title
Closing
Closing Agent
Closing Date
Closing Statement
Co-borrower
Collateral
Commission
Commitment Letter
Comparables
Concession
Condominium
Construction Loan
Contingency
Conventional Mortgage
Conversion Option
Convertible ARM
Cooperative (Co-op) Project
Cost of Funds Index (COFI)
Counter-offer
Credit Bureau
Credit History
Credit Life Insurance
Creditor
Creditworthy
Debt
Debt-to-Income Ratio
Deed
Deed of Trust
Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure
Default
Delinquency
Depreciation
Discount Point
Down Payment
Due-on-Sale Clause
Easement
Employer-Assisted Housing
Encumbrance
Equity
Escrow
Escrow Account
Eviction
Exclusive Agency Listing
Executor
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Fair Market Value
Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Loan Limit
Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
FHA-Insured Loan
First Mortgage
First-Time Home Buyer
Fixed-Period Adjustable-Rate Mortgage
Fixed-Rate Mortgage
Flood Certification Fee
Flood Insurance
Foreclosure
Forfeiture
Fully Amortized Mortgage
General Contractor
Good-Faith Estimate
Government Mortgage
Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae)
Gross Monthly Income
Ground Rent
Growing-Equity Mortgage (GEM)
Hazard Insurance
Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM)
Home Inspection
Housing Expense Ratio
HUD-1 Settlement Statement
Hybrid Loan
Income Property
Index
Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
Inflation
Initial Interest Rate
Inquiry
Installment
Installment Debt
Interest
Interest Accrual Rate
Interest Rate Cap
Interest Rate Ceiling
Interest Rate Floor
Judgment Lien
Jumbo Loan
Junior Mortgage
Keogh Funds
Late Charge
Lease-Purchase Option
Liability Insurance
LIBOR-Index
Lifetime Cap
Liquid Asset
Loan Origination
Loan Origination Fees
Lock-In Rate
Lockbox Agent
Low-Down-Payment Feature
Manufactured Housing
Margin
Market Value
Maturity Date
Merged Credit Report
MLS Entry-Only
Modification
Money Market Account
Mortgage
Mortgage Broker
Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP)
Mortgage Lender
Mortgage Life Insurance
Mortgage Rate
Mortgagee
Mortgagor
Multifamily Mortgage
Multifamily Properties
Multiple Listing Service (MLS)
Mutual Funds
Negative Amortization
Net Monthly Income
Non-Liquid Asset
Note
Note Rate
Offer
Original Principal Balance
Origination Fee
Partial Payment
Payment Cap
Payment Change Date
Personal Property
PITI
PITI Reserves
Point
Pre-Qualification
Predatory Lending
Prepayment
Prepayment Penalty
Private Mortgage Insurance
Promissory Note
Property Appreciation
Purchase and Sale Agreement
Purchase Money Mortgage
Qualifying Guidelines
Radon
Rate Cap
Rate Lock
Ratified Sales Contract
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)
Recorder
Recording
Refinance
Rehabilitation Mortgage
Remaining Term
Repayment Plan
Replacement Cost
Rescission
Right of First Refusal
Rural Housing Service (RHS)
Sale-Leaseback
Second Mortgage
Secondary Mortgage Market
Secured Loan
Securities
Security
Seller Take-Back
Service members Civil Relief Act
Settlement
Settlement Statement
Single-Family Properties
Soft Second Loan
Subordinate Financing
Survey
Termite Inspection
Third-Party Origination
Title
Title Insurance
Title Search
Trade Equity
Transfer Tax
Treasury Index
Truth-In-Lending Act (TILA)
Two- to Four- Family Property
Uniform Residential Loan Application
Unsecured Loan
VA Guaranteed Loan
Veterans Affairs (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Walk-Through
Warranties