A | B |
apartment | A building that houses more than one family in separate living units |
condominium | A building that houses more than one family; each person owns walls and air space of the unit |
single-family house | A custom-built, development, modular, or kit house or townhouse |
manufactured "mobile" home | A single-wide or double-wide moveable home |
duplex | A building that contains two separate living units |
townhouse | A dwelling of two or three stories that attaches at sidewalls to other units; each person owns walls and air space plus property rights and yard of the unit |
rent/lease | To pay a security deposit and monthly payments to a landlord |
residence hall | A living space on college/university campuses available to attending students only |
buy | To purchase with cash or through a down payment plus monthly mortgage loan payments |
equity | Ownership; the value of property owned |
tax benefit | Any condition that qualifies a person for a tax credit or deductible expense |
lessee | A person who leases or rents a living space |
lessor | A person who owns a living space that is rented/leased; a landlord |
condition | Any stipulation or requirement that is agreed upon in a lease |
eviction | A legal notice to a lessee to move out of a property |
Classified Ads | Newspaper ads showing available homes for sale |
open house | An opportunity for interested buyers to walk through a home that is for sale |
real estate agent | A professional person who buys and sells homes |
earnest money | A deposit to prove that a buyer is serious about purchasing |
closing costs | Fees that must be paid by buyer or seller at the time purchase is finalized |
conventional (fixed rate) mortgage | Interest rate and monthly payment amount remains that same for the life of the loan |
continuing costs | Property tax, insurance and associated fees |
FHA Loan | A loan from Federal Housing Administration; insures loans to low-moderate income families who might not otherwise qualify for a mortgage |
monthly loan payments | Mortgage payments paid by the buyer to the lender each month |
down payment | Part of the purchase price for a home that is paid in cash up front |