Glossary Real Estate Terms G -H

Real Estate Terms LETTER G

GABLE ROOF

Pitched roof with sloping sides

Gabled roof on Pacific Palisades, California house that sold this year

 

GAMBREL ROOF

House sold in Berkeley, California with Dutch Colonial style and Gambrel roof line

 

Curb roof, step lower slope flatter upper slope above

GENERAL LIEN

Lien on all property of a debtor

GIFT DEED

Deed for which the consideration is love and affection

GIRDER

Ground level at the foundation

GRADUATED LEASE

Lease provides varying rental rate- based on a future determination such as periodic appraisals, used in long term leases

GRANT

Conveyance of deed signifies the intent to transfer title of the land

GRANT DEED

Deed in which the word grant is used as the word of conveyance- free from encumbrances

GRANTEE

The purchaser a person to whom the grant is made

GRANTOR

Seller of property who signs the deed

GRI

Graduate Realtors Institute

GRID

Chart used in rating borrower risk, property and neighborhood

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT

Total value of all goods and services produced in an economy at a given time using the local resources

GROSS INCOME

Total income before any expenses

GROSS RATE

Method of collecting interest by adding the total interest to the loan at the start (you pay the interest even if you pay off early)

GROSS RENT MULTIPLIER

Figure when multiplied by gross income of a property produces an estimate of value

GROUND LEASE

An agreement for use of the land only

GROUND RENT

Earnings of the improved property credited to earnings of the ground itself after allowance for earnings of improvements- also called economic rent

H

HABENDUM CLAUSE

“to have and to hold” clause in a deed

HEADER

A beam placed perpendicular to joists & which joists are nailed in framing for a chimney. Stairway or opening

HIGHEST AND BEST USE

Appraisal term at time of appraisal the greatest net return on property over a given period of time, starting point for an appraisal

HIP ROOF

Pitched roof with sloping sides and ends

HOLDER IN DUE COURSE

One who has taken a note, check etc. in due course before it is overdue in good faith and for value without any knowledge that is was dishonored (still good)

HOLDOVER TENANT

Tenant who remains in possession of leased property after the expiration of term

HOMESTEAD

Home upon which an owner has recorded a Declaration of Homestead, protects against some judgments

HUNDRED PERCENT LOCATION

City retail business location that is the best location

HYPOTHECATE

To give a thing as security without the necessity of giving possession of it up

Glossary F

Glossary letter F Real Estate Terms from Mr. Fuddy

FAÇADE

Front of building

FAIR MARKET VALUE

Money paid for property on the open market available for a reasonable time, without pressures to buy or sell

FARMERS HOME ADMINISTRATION

Department of Agriculture gives financing help to farmers and others living in rural areas

FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION FDIC

Agency of Federal government that insures deposits at commercial banks and savings banks

FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE=FANNIE MAE

Private mortgage corporation taken over by our government to buy and sell existing mortgage on the secondary market

FEE

An estate of inheritance in real property

FEE SIMPLE

Fee – old English same as Fee Simple absolute is greatest power of owner to sell, trade or will

FIDELITY BOND

A security posted for the discharge of an obligation of personal services

FIDUCIARY

Person in a position of trust and confidence as between a principal and a broker. Broker owes fiduciary loyalty that cannot be broken under the rules of agency.

FILTERING DOWN

Process of making housing available to successively lower income groups

FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY

Commercial banks, savings banks, mutual savings banks and life insurance companies receive small sums of money from the public and invest them in the form of larger sums, some loaned on real estate

FINISH FLOOR

Finish floor strips are applied over wooden joists , deadening felt and diagonal subflooring before the finish floor is installed- final covering linoleum, tile or carpet…

FIRST MORTGAGE= FIRST TRUST DEED

Legal document pledging collateral for a loan that has priority over all claims but taxes and bonded debts

FISCAL CONTROLS

Federal tax EARNEST MONEY

Down payment made by a purchaser of property as evidence of good faith

FIXITY OF LOCATION

Physical characteristic of real estate influenced by its surroundings (location)

FIXTURES

Appurtenances attached to the land of improvements – plumbing fixtures

FLASHING

Sheet metal or other material to protect a building from seepage of water

FOOTING

Base or bottom of a foundation wall, pier or column

FORECLOSURE

Property pledged is sold to pay the debt

FORFEITURE

Loss of money resulting from failure to perform

FRANCHISE

Privilege awarded by a government or business to have exclusive dealership

FRAUD

Intentional and successive employment of any cunning, collusion used to cheat a person

FREEHOLD

Estate of interminable duration- fee simple or life estate

FRONTAGE

Land bordering the street

FRONT FOOT

Property measurement for sale or valuation purposes- property measures by the front foot on its street line extending to the depth of the lot

FRONT MONEY

Minimum amount to initiate a real estate venture

FROSTLINE

Depth of frost penetration, differs by climate, footings need to be below this line

FUNCTIONAL OBSOLESCENCE

Loss of value by negative factors that affect the utility of the structure

FURRING

Strips of wood or metal to even it, to form an airspace or give appearance of thicker wall

FUTURE BENEFITS

Anticipated benefits the property owner will receive in future

Glossary Real Estate Letter E

EARNEST MONEY

Down payment made by a purchaser of property as evidence of good faith

EASEMENT

Created by grant for a specific purpose, right privilege or interest one party has in the land of another. For right of way

ECOLOGY

The relationship between organisms and their environment

ECONOMIC LIFE

The period over which a property will yield a return on the investment, over and above the economic or ground rent due on the land

ECONOMIC OBSOLESCENCE

Loss in value of real estate caused by factors away from the subject

ECONOMIC RENT

Number of years of age that is indicated by the condition of a structure

EFFECTIVE INTEREST RATE

Percentage of interest that is actually being paid by a borrower for the use of money

EMINENT DOMAIN

Government right to acquire property for necessary public or quasi-public use by condemnation, paying the owner the fair market value- 5^th AMENDMENT Right

ENCROACHMENT

Anything that affects or limits the fee-simple title to the property. Such as mortgages, easements, restrictions

ENDORSEMENT

Signing one’s name on the back of a check or note

EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT

Federal Law prohibits lenders from discriminating based on sex. Race, color, religion, age amritial status or handicap etc.

EQUITY

Interest or value an owner has in real estate over and above the liens against it

EQUITY OF REDEMPTION

Right to redeem property during foreclosure period

EQUITY SHARING

Where an owner occupant and a non-owner investor pool their money to buy a home- contract

ESCALATION

Lender can increase payments upon the happening of a certain event

ESCALATOR CLAUSE

A clause in the contract providing upward or downward adjustment of items to cover contingencies

ESCHEAT

Reverting the property to the state when heirs capable of inheriting are lacking

ESTATE

Quality of interest, share, right or equity of which riches or fortune may consist in real property

ESTATE OF INHERITANCE

Estate descending to heirs- freehold

ESTATE FOR LIFE

Freehold estate not and estate of inheritance but is held by the life of the tenant for his or her own life or the life of one or more persons- ie: you can live here until you die or your Child X dies

ESTATE FROM PERIOD TO PERIOD

An interest in land with no definite termination date but rents are weekly monthly or annual, also called periodic tenancy

ESTATE AT SUFFERANCE

Estate where tenant wrongfully holds over after expiration of his term. Landlord can evict

ESTATE OF WILL

Occupation of lands and tenements for an indefinite period. Can be terminated by either party- not recognized in California

ESTATE FOR YEARS

Interest in lands by virtue of a contract for the possession of them for a limited time- A LEASE

ESTIMATED REMAINING LIFE

Time period remaining for improvements to become useless

ESTOPPEL

Doctrine bars one from asserting rights that are inconsistent with a previous position or representation

ETHICS

Moral science, idealism, justness and fairness in the duties that a member of a profession owes to the public

EVICTION

Process of law depriving a person of possession of lands

EXCHANGE

IRS CODE 1031 owner trades one property for another to defer income tax

EXCLUSIVE AGENCY LISTING

One agent has specific rights to sell a property for a specific time, but owner can sell without a commission

EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO SELL LISTING

Written agreement giving agent right to collect commission if anyone buys during the set time

EXECUTE

To complete, perform, sign, seal deliver

EXECUTOR/TRIX

Person named in a will to carry out provisions

EXPANSION JOINT

A bitumous fiber strip that separates concrete to prevent cracking