An improvement that intrudes illegally on another’s property.
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.
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.
A right of way giving persons other than the owner access to or over a property.
A deposit made by the potential home buyer to show that he or she is serious about buying the house.
A provision in a mortgage that allows the lender to demand repayment in full if the borrower sells the property that serves as security for the mortgage.
The part of the purchase price of a property that the buyer pays in cash and does not finance with a mortgage.
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.
A decline in the value of property; the opposite of appreciation. Depreciation is also an accounting term which shows the declining monetary value of an asset and is used as an expense to reduce taxable income. Since this is not a true expense where money is actually paid, lenders will add back depreciation expense for self-employed borrowers and count it as income.
A sum of money given in advance of a larger amount being expected in the future. Often called in real estate as an “earnest money deposit.”
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