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New York

New York Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Programs

Located in the northeastern United States, New York is the 11th state in the Union. It is home to the Statue of Liberty and is known for its diverse population, exclusive shops, Broadway shows, Times Square, Empire State Building, Central Park, and more.  The state’s capital is Albany and the largest city is New York. With a population of more than 8 million people, New York boasts a homeownership rate of 53.9% (2022-U.S. Census Bureau).

DPA programs across the country continue to make homeownership possible for many. Below is a list of programs available in the state of New York. Also, combining programs may be possible, so be sure to inquire.

State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA)

Achieving the Dream Program

“Our lowest interest rate program, Achieving the Dream is designed to maximize the amount you can afford with minimal down payment required. A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with no points.Down payment requirement as low as 3% (and 3% down payment assistance available).”

Low Interest Rate Program

“SONYMA’s low interest rate program offers lower down payment requirements and competitive interest rates to qualified buyers. This program allows for the purchase of 1-4 family homes, condominiums, cooperatives, and manufactured homes. A 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with no points. Down payment requirement as low as 3% (and 3% down payment assistance available).”

Conventional Plus Program

“SONYMA’s Conventional Plus Program is a mortgage program that combines 30-year fixed rate mortgages with SONYMA down payment assistance for both first-time homebuyers and previous homeowners. The program may be used for the purchase of a primary home. The down payment assistance may also be used to pay closing costs (including an upfront single mortgage insurance premium, if necessary, and thus eliminating the monthly mortgage insurance premium payment).”

FHA Plus Program

“SONYMA’s FHA Plus Program is a mortgage program that combines 30-year fixed rate mortgages with SONYMA down payment assistance for both first-time homebuyers and previous homeowners. The program may be used for the purchase of a primary home. The down payment assistance may also be used to pay closing costs.”

Down Payment Assistance Loan

“SONYMA’s Down Payment Assistance Loan (DPAL), which is available for all buyers using a SONYMA mortgage program, can provide the initial funding you need to purchase your first home. Maximum loan amount: 3% of the purchase price (up to $15,000) or $3,000, whichever is highest.”

East Buffalo Down Payment Assistance Plus Program (DPAL+)

“DPAL PLUS can be used to pay down payment and closing costs until purchase money mortgage amount is 80% LTV, up to $30,000. The program is only available currently in Buffalo, NY.”

RemodelNY Program

“The SONYMA RemodelNY program provides mortgage financing options that let you purchase a property and pay for repairs to turn that almost-perfect house into your perfect home.”

Homes for Veterans

“Exclusively for active service members, veterans, and their spouses or co-borrowers. US Military veterans with an other than dishonorable discharge do not need to be first time homebuyers. Interest rates .375% lower than standard SONYMA interest rates for loans with down payment assistance.”

Graduate to Homeownership

“The Graduate to Homeownership program offers recent college graduates low-interest mortgages, down payment assistance, and homebuyer education resources to purchase their first home in certain upstate New York communities.”

Neighborhood Revitalization Program

“The Neighborhood Revitalization Program offers incentives to potential buyers who qualify for the SONYMA Achieving the Dream Program and wish to purchase homes in need of repair in New York State. Up to $20,000 to renovate a home that you purchase.”

Give Us Credit Program

“The Give Us Credit program qualifies eligible first-time homebuyers by expanding the criteria used to evaluate responsible financial management, increasing eligibility to families and individuals who rely on non-traditional savings and sources of income, and by offering greater flexibility for potential borrowers who have overcome past financial hardships.”

ENERGY STAR

“To help you find a more energy efficient home, SONYMA is partnering with the New York State Builders Association (NYSBA), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to offer special incentives for purchasing an Energy Star certified home.

  • Interest rates .375% lower than standard SONYMA interest rates for loans with down payment assistance.”

Manufactured Home Mortgage Program

“The State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) is proud to announce that we now offer the same affordable, fixed-rate mortgages that we have been providing to low- and moderate-income homebuyers since 1970, to existing and prospective manufactured home community residents.”

City of Binghamton Housing Division

First-Time Homebuyer Program

“Provides first time homebuyers with deferred loans to assist with down payment and closing costs. The deferred loans are made in amounts up to $5,000 to assist with closing costs/down payment. If title to the property is sold/transferred within 5 years, or the home is no longer the owner’s principal place of residency, 100% of the loan becomes due. After 5 years, the loan is forgiven in full.”

Town of Union Department of Planning

First-Time Homebuyer Program

“The program provides up to $5,000 for down payment or settlement charges such as reimbursement for cost of professional home inspection and other acquisition costs. The Town of Union includes the Villages of Endicott and Johnson City and the neighborhoods of Airport Heights, West Corners, North Endwell Union Center, North Endicott, North Endwell West, North Endwell East, Central Endwell, South Endwell, Riverhurst , Choconut Center, Fairmont Park, and Westover.”

Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency

Down Payment Assistance Program

“Funding will be provided as a deferred payment, zero percent interest (0%) loan/conditional grant of up to $5,000.00. If the purchaser resides in the home for the full five-year term of the loan, the loan will be forgiven and no repayment is required. The assistance will be available to income-eligible homebuyers obtaining mortgage financing for the purchase of a home. The property to be purchased must be located within the legal limits of the City of Buffalo.

City of Elmira Community Development

First-Time Homebuyer Program

“This program is designed to assist income eligible, low to moderate income individuals or families with down payment and closing cost assistance in purchasing their first home in the City of Elmira by offering a grant in the amount of $10,000 that is forgiven after five years.”

Town of Colonie Community Development

First-Time Homebuyer Program

“The Town of Colonie First Time Homebuyer program provides a subsidy to participants to purchase homes in the Town of Colonie, Village of Colonie, and Village of Menands.”

Home HeadQuarters

Closing Cost Assistance

“Home HeadQuarters offers loans up to $4,000 to help qualified, first-time buyers cover closing costs for a home located anywhere in New York State excluding New York City. The program offers both payback and deferred loans (no payback required) depending on buyer eligibility.”

Community Housing Innovations, Inc.

First Time Homebuyer Grant Program

“Community Housing Innovations, Inc., through the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation, is offering First-Time Homebuyers homeownership assistance to cover down payment and/or closing costs plus rehabilitation expenses.”

NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program

“The HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program provides qualified homebuyers with up to $100,000 toward the down payment or closing costs on a 1-4 family home, a condominium, or a cooperative in one of the five boroughs of New York City.”

HomeFix Program

“HomeFix will offer loans up to $60,000 per home, with an additional $30,000 per additional rental unit, with an anticipated maximum loan amount of $150,000 for a four-family home. The loan terms may vary from low- or no-interest to fully amortizing from zero to five percent interest, with favorable loan terms for low-income and senior households.”

Niagara Falls Community Development

First Time Home Buyers

“We offer first time home buyers a grant, up to $2,500, to cover the closing costs associated with a new mortgage.”

NeighborWorks Community Partners Niagara Falls

Downpayment & Closing-Cost Assistance Loans

“Our Downpayment & Closing-Cost Assistance Loan is for first-time homebuyers looking to purchase a home, NeighborWorks® Community Partners can help you with your Downpayment and/or Closing-Costs.”

Rochester Department of Neighborhood and Business Development

Home Purchase Assistance Program Grant (HPAP)

“The City of Rochester’s Home Purchase Assistance Program Grant (HPAP) provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time buyers who meet program requirements. Grants of up to $3,000 are available for closing cost assistance to first-time buyers who are income eligible.”

Nassau County Community Development 

First-time Homebuyer Downpayment Assistance Program

“Nassau County will provide eligible first-time homebuyers with up to $25,000 towards down payment/closing costs towards the purchase of an eligible new or existing single family home, provided that the applicant puts a minimum down payment of at least $5,000.”

Employer Assisted Housing Program

“The purpose of the Nassau County Employer Assisted Housing Program (EAHP) is to assist County employers with recruiting and retaining a skilled and qualified workforce while at the same time helping Nassau County workers to purchase homes near their jobs.

Nassau County EAHP funds are essentially a zero-interest deferred loan. Applicants below 80% of median income are eligible to receive up to $12,000 in HOME assistance, along with the employer grant of $9,000.”

UNHS HomeOwnershipCenter

Counies Served: Oneida, Herkimer, Madison, Fulton, Montgomery, Otsego

Homebuyer Dream Program

“The HomeOwnershipCenter partners with several local financial institutions to offer a down payment and closing cost assistance program for first time home buyers looking to buy in New York State.”

Madison County Down Payment Assistance & Rehabilitation Grant

“The Madison County Down Payment Assistance + Rehabilitation Grant is for first time home buyers that want to live in Madison County with preference to those applying within the village and the town of Hamilton.”

City of Rome Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance Program

“The City of Rome Down Payment & Closing Cost Assistance Program is for first time home buyers that want to live in the City of Rome. The maximum grant award is $15,000.”

City of Utica Section 8

Section 8 Homeownership Program

“The Homeownership Program permits eligible families who are in the Section 8 Rental Housing Choice Voucher Program the option of purchasing a home with the Section 8 subsidy rather than renting.”

Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program (TRIP)

Homebuyer Incentive Program (HIP)

“TRIP’s HomeOwnership Center administers federal HOME funds for the city of Troy, available to income-eligible first-time homebuyers for downpayment and/or closing cost assistance in the amounts of $15,000 & $20,000.”

Rensselaer County Homebuyer Program (Small Cities)

“TRIP’s HomeOwnership Center administers federal HOME funds for the city of Troy, available to income-eligible first-time homebuyers for downpayment and/or closing cost assistance in the amounts of $15,000 & $20,000.”

Monroe County Community Development

First Time Homebuyer Program

“The program provides one-time grants for down payment and closing cost assistance to income-eligible first-time home buyers who purchase homes in the suburban towns and villages of Monroe County.”

Onondaga County Community Development

Homeownership Program

“Within the coming year, Onondaga County Community Development expects to purchase, rehabilitate, and sell a number of single family dwellings. These homes will be available at a subsidized price for first-time homebuyers who meet program guidelines.”

Albany Community Development Agency

Home Acquisition Program (HAP)

“Looking to purchase a NEW home in the City of Albany? HAP may help you own your dream home by assisting you with down payment, closing costs and/or rehab assistance.”

Albany County Rural Housing Alliance

HOME Down Payment Assistance Program

“The HOME DPA (Down Payment Assistance) Grant Program helps to offset down payment and closing costs to income qualified buyers at closing. The level of assistance will depend on the individual needs of the applicant.”

Town of Babylon Community Development

Down Payment Assistance Program

“Under this program, the Town of Babylon will provide eligible first-time homebuyers up to $39,000 towards down payment/closing costs for the purchase of an owner- occupied approved single-family home located in the Town of Babylon. The funds are essentially zero-interest deferred loans that are forgiven after ten (10) years.”

Town of Brookhaven Community Development

Down Payment Assistance Program

“The Town of Brookhaven HOME Down Payment Assistance Program will provide eligible first time homebuyers with up to $39,000 towards down payment/closing costs towards the purchase of an eligible new or existing single-family home, provided that the applicant is income eligible and meets all program requirements.”

Suffolk County Community Development

Down Payment Assistance Program

“The Suffolk County HOME Consortium down payment assistance funds are essentially zero-interest deferred loans that are forgiven after 5 years. The assistance provided will be up to $14,000 for eligible applicants to assist with the down payment toward the purchase of an owner occupied, single family residence. This program does not fund closing costs.”

Better Community Neighborhoods, Inc. (BCNI)

BCNI’s Homebuyer Assistance Program

“Down payment assistance grant funding up to $10,000 towards the purchase of your first home within the City of Schenectady.”

Community Development Corporation of Long Island (CDCLI)

Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Loan

“A low-interest rate loan, for down payment and closing cost assistance, is available for first-time homebuyers to avoid Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) and whose income is no greater than 120% of the area median income (AMI) based on family size (see chart below). The loan may be for up to $75,000 and is subject to program underwriting guidelines.”

Single Family Home Development/Suffolk County Landbank Corporation

“In collaboration with the Suffolk County Landbank Corporation (SCLBC) and the New York State Attorney General’s Office, SCLBC purchases abandoned and foreclosed homes and CDCLI rehabilitates them to a high-quality standard. CDCLI then makes them available for sale to qualified first-time home buyers.”

Rent-to-Own Program

“CDCLI Housing Development Fund Corporation (“CDCLI Housing”) offers a Rent-to-Own Program to help Long Islanders accomplish homeownership. Under this program, we acquire and renovate single family dwellings to high quality standards, including energy efficient and green measures. The properties are offered for rental to Long Islanders who have committed to accomplishing homeownership within the next three years.”

Single Family Home Development/Suffolk County Landbank Corporation

“n collaboration with the Suffolk County Landbank Corporation (SCLBC) and the New York State Attorney General’s Office, SCLBC purchases abandoned and foreclosed homes and CDCLI rehabilitates them to a high-quality standard. CDCLI then makes them available for sale to qualified first-time home buyers.”

Voucher Homeownership

“CDCLI’s Voucher Homeownership Program enables existing Housing Choice Voucher participants to accomplish healthy and sustainable homeownership through subsidies and creative financing.

Families that are currently participating in the Housing Choice Voucher Program administered by CDCLI and other housing authorities in Nassau and Suffolk Counties are eligible.”

NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation

First-time Homebuyer Grant Program

“The NYSAR Housing Opportunities Foundation reviews and awards first-time home buyer grants throughout the state of New York. In order to apply, applicants must be working with a REALTOR® and fall within the given guidelines.”

Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO)

Ulster County Block Grant Program

“RUPCO has funding available from the NYS Office of Community Renewal (NYSHCR) Ulster County Block Grant Program to assist low-income first-time homebuyers purchasing residential homes in Ulster County (excluding the City of Kingston) with down payment, closing costs and repairs. Grants up tp $49,200.”

Ulster County First-Time Homebuyer Grant

“RUPCO has funding available from the NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation to assist low-income first-time homebuyers purchasing residential homes in Ulster County with down payment and closing costs. Average grant is $36,900.

City of Kingston Homebuyer Grant

“RUPCO has funding available from HUD as part of the City of Kingston’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement Program to assist low-income first-time homebuyers purchasing residential homes in the City of Kingston with acquisition costs. Grants up to $50,000.”

Orange County First-Time Homebuyer Grant

“RUPCO is currently administrating a New York State Affordable Housing Corporation (AHC) grant available from the NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal to assist the Orange County community in achieving the dream of homeownership. These funds can assist low-income Orange County first-time homebuyers with down-payment, repairs and closing costs by providing grants of up to $40,000.”

Sullivan County First-Time Homebuyer Grant

“Up to $45,000 is available for income eligible households for down payment, closing costs and post closing rehab.”

Neighbors of Watertown, Inc.

First Time Homebuyer Program

“The Neighbors Of Watertown’s First Time Homebuyer Program provides financial assistance to families buying a home in Watertown and Jefferson County, NY. The home must be in substantially move-in condition.”

Buy / Rehab / Resell Housing Rehabilitation Program

“The program rehabilitates vacant substandard houses and makes them available to 1st time homebuyers. Homebuyer grants are provided if available.”

Town of Amherst Community Development

First-Time Homebuyer Program

“The Town of Amherst, as a member of the Amherst-Cheektowaga-Tonawanda HOME Consortium, using the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, offers loans for first-time homebuyers with qualifying incomes to cover closing costs associated with the purchase of their first home in the Town of Amherst. These are long term, deferred payment, interest-free loans.”

Town of Hamburg Community Development

Hometown Housing Program

“Our “First Time Homebuyer” program is available to ALL income eligible persons/families looking to purchase their first home (single family) within the township, regardless of their current residence!”

Town of Tonawanda Community Development

First Time Homebuyer Program

“The Town of Tonawanda, through the HOME Investment Partnership Program, is offering loans for first-time homebuyers with qualifying incomes to cover most closing costs associated with the purchase of their first home in the Town of Tonawanda (including the Village of Kenmore). These are long-term, deferred payment, interest-free loans.”

Homsite | City of Auburn Community Development

Mortgage Assistance Program (MAP)

“We offer grants of up to $3,000 to help cover down payment and closing costs to qualified first-time buyers purchasing a home in the City of Auburn.”

Building Blocks Together (BBT)

Reparative Housing Justice Fund (RHJF)

“The Reparative Housing Justice Fund offers grants of up to $10,000 to assist Black homebuyers in purchasing a home in the Capital Region.

  • City of Albany: up to $10,000
  • Rest of Capital Region: up to $5,000″

Cortland Housing Assistance Council, Inc.

First Time Homebuyers Program

“This program will offer subsidies to eligible first-time home buyers to be used toward reducing closing costs and for rehabilitation of the property after purchase.”

Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS)

First Time Homebuyers Program

“INHS helps make homeownership possible for first-time home buyers of moderate income by filling the gap between what you can afford and the cost of housing. We offer up to $20,000 for down payment assistance and closing costs for those who are purchasing a home in any of the counties in our service area, including Cayuga, Chemung, Cortland, Schuyler, Seneca, Tioga and Tompkins Counties.”

Community Housing Trust (CHT) Program

“The CHT is a “shared equity” program: the homebuyer purchases only the house and the Trust owns the land. The homeowner has a 99-year lease on the land, with a small monthly land rent. This arrangement greatly lowers the purchase price of the home, and INHS can provide other financial assistance to further reduce the buyer’s costs.”

Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundation

Home Ownership Loan Program

“Sheen Housing provides a two for one match program for eligible families. The maximum amount of financial assistance from Sheen Housing will be $3,000 loan and will require a $50 monthly payment.”

NeighborWorks Community Partners Rochester

Downpayment & Closing-Cost Assistance Loans

“Our Downpayment & Closing-Cost Assistance Loan is for first-time homebuyers looking to purchase a home, NeighborWorks® Community Partners can help you with your Downpayment and/or Closing-Costs.”

Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) New York

States/Territories served: New York, Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Virgin Islands

Homebuyer Dream Program® (HDP®)

“The HDP offers grants up to $10,000 to eligible first-time homebuyers purchasing a home through one of our approved community-based, member lenders. The FHLBNY will grant up to $9,500 towards down payment and closing cost assistance to eligible first-time homebuyers. Additionally, the HDP offers up to $500 towards the defrayment of homeownership counseling costs which will be provided for the use of the household via the member to the non-profit counseling agency.”

USDA Rural Development

Single Family Housing Direct Home Loans

“Also known as the Section 502 Direct Loan Program, this program assists low- and very-low-income applicants obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance to increase an applicant’s repayment ability. Payment assistance is a type of subsidy that reduces the mortgage payment for a short time.”

Habitat for Humanity 

Habitat Home

“We believe that everyone should have a safe, affordable place to call home. To carry out our vision, we partner with individuals and families from application through construction to when the keys are handed over.” 

The next blog post in our series will explore down payment assistance programs in North Carolina.

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Glossary of
Common Terms

Source 1: Wikipedia: Reusing Wikipedia Content. This work is released under CC BY-SA. Source 2: Farlex Financial Dictionary 

  • Addendum – an additional document not included in the main part of the contract. Wikipedia
  • Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) – a mortgage loan with the interest rate on the note periodically adjusted based on an index which reflects the cost to the lender of borrowing on the credit markets. Wikipedia
  • Amortization – paying off an amount owed over time by making planned, incremental payments of principal and interest. Wikipedia
  • Annual Percentage Rate (APR) – the interest rate for a whole year (annualized). It is a finance charge expressed as an annual rate. Wikipedia
  • Appraisal – the process of developing an opinion of value for real property (usually market value). Wikipedia
  • Appraiser – a person that develops an opinion of the market value or other value of a product, most notably real estate. Wikipedia
  • As is – describing the sale of an asset in which the seller gives no guarantee on the quality of the asset and makes no repairs that may be necessary. An “as is” sale transfers all risk to the buyer. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Assignment – a legal term used in the context of the law of contract and of property. In both instances, assignment is the process whereby a person, the assignor, transfers rights or benefits to another, the assignee. Wikipedia
  • Balloon Payment Mortgage – a mortgage which does not fully amortize over the term of the note, thus leaving a balance due at maturity. The final payment is called a balloon payment because of its large size. Wikipedia
  • Basis Points – a value equaling one one-hundredth of a percent (1/100 of 1%). One basis point is equal to 0.01%. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Blanket Mortgage – a type of loan used to fund the purchase of more than one piece of real property. Blanket loans are popular with builders and developers who buy large tracts of land, then subdivide them to create many individual parcels to be gradually sold one at a time. Wikipedia
  • Borrower – a person or company that has received money from another party with the agreement that the money will be repaid. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Break-even Ratio (BER) – estimates how vulnerable a property is to defaulting on its debt should rental income decline. Wikipedia
  • Bridge Loan – a short-term loan,usually from a bank,that “bridges”the period between the closing of a home purchase and the closing of a home sale. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Building Inspection – an inspection performed by a building inspector, a person who is employed by either a city, township or county and is usually certified in one or more disciplines qualifying them to make professional judgment about whether a building meets building code requirements. Wikipedia
  • Building Occupancy Classifications – refer to categorizing structures based on their usage and are primarily used for building and fire code enforcement. They are usually defined by model building codes, and vary, somewhat, among them. Often, many of them are subdivided. Wikipedia
  • Buyer Agency – the practice of real estate brokers and their agents representing a buyer in a real estate transaction. Wikipedia
  • Cancellation Clause – a clause in a contract or lease that allows one or either party to cancel it upon the happening of certain named events other than a default.  Farlax Financial Dictionary
  • Capitalization Rate (Cap Rate) – a real estate valuation measure used to compare different real estate investments. Although there are many variations, a cap rate is often calculated as the ratio between the net operating income produced by an asset and current market value. Wikipedia
  • Cash-on-Cash Return (CCR) – the ratio of annual before-tax cash flow to the total amount of cash invested, expressed as a percentage. Wikipedia
  • Certificate of Occupancy – a document issued by a local government certifying that a structure has passed all required inspections and is ready for occupancy. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Closing Costs – fees paid at the closing of a real estate transaction. Wikipedia
  • Co-borrower – one or more persons who have signed the note and are equally responsible for repaying the loan. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Commercial Real Estate – commercial property, also called commercial real estate, investment property or income property, is real estate (buildings or land) intended to generate a profit, either from capital gains or rental income. Wikipedia
  • Commercial Mortgage – a mortgage loan secured by commercial property, such as an office building, shopping center, industrial warehouse, or apartment complex. The proceeds from a commercial mortgage are typically used to acquire, refinance, or redevelop commercial property. Wikipedia
  • Commission – a form of payment to an agent for services rendered. Wikipedia
  • Common Area Maintenance – CAM for short, are one of the net charges billed to tenants in a commercial triple net (NNN) lease, and are paid by tenants to the landlord of a commercial property. A CAM charge is an additional rent, charged on top of base rent, and is mainly composed of maintenance fees for work performed on the common area of a property. Wikipedia
  • Compound interest – the addition of interest to the principal sum of a loan or deposit, or in other words, interest on interest. It is the result of reinvesting interest, rather than paying it out, so that interest in the next period is then earned on the principal sum plus previously accumulated interest. Wikipedia
  • Conforming Mortgage – a loan eligible for purchase by the two major federal agencies that buy mortgages, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Contingency Clause – a clause that allows cancellation of a contract without penalty if a certain described thing happens. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Contract – a contract between parties for the purchase and sale, exchange, or other conveyance of real estate. Wikipedia
  • Conventional Mortgage – a loan based on the credit of the borrower and on the collateral for the mortgage. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Credit History – a record of a borrower’s responsible repayment of debts. Wikipedia
  • Credit Report – a record of the borrower’s credit history from a number of sources, including banks, credit card companies, collection agencies, and governments. Wikipedia
  • Credit Score – a numerical expression based on a level analysis of a person’s credit files, to represent the creditworthiness of an individual. Wikipedia
  • Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) – the ratio of operating income available to debt servicing for interest, principal and lease payments. It is a popular benchmark used in the measurement of an entity’s (person or corporation) ability to produce enough cash to cover its debt (including lease) payments. Wikipedia
  • Debt Ratio – a financial ratio that indicates the percentage of a company’s assets that are provided via debt. It is the ratio of total debt (long-term liabilities) and total assets (the sum of current assets, fixed assets, and other assets such as ‘goodwill’). Wikipedia
  • Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI) – the percentage of a consumer’s monthly gross income that goes toward paying debts. There are two main kinds of DTI: front-end ratio (indicates the percentage of income that goes toward housing costs) and back-end ratio (indicates the percentage of income that goes toward paying all recurring debt payments). Wikipedia
  • Deed – any legal instrument in writing which passes, affirms or confirms an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions, sealed. It is commonly associated with transferring (conveyancing) title to property.  Wikipedia
  • Deed Restriction – A provision placed in a deed restricting or limiting the use of the property in some manner. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Discount Point – one percentage point of the principal of a mortgage loan that some lenders require borrowers to pay immediately as a condition of making the loan. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Down Payment – the amount, usually stated as a percentage, of the total cost of a property that you pay in cash as part of a real estate transaction. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Due Diligence – the investigation or exercise of care that a reasonable business or person is normally expected to take before entering into an agreement or contract with another party or an act with a certain standard of care. Wikipedia
  • Earnest money – a small amount of money that a seller requires a potential buyer to deposit before a transaction is completed. Earnest money ensures that the potential buyer is serious about the transaction and will be likely to complete it when the time comes. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Easement – a nonpossessory right to use and/or enter onto the real property of another without possessing it. Wikipedia
  • Escrow – a contractual arrangement in which a third party (the stakeholder or escrow agent) receives and disburses money or property for the primary transacting parties, with the disbursement dependent on conditions agreed to by the transacting parties. Wikipedia
  • Environmental Assessment – a study of land to determine if there are any factors such as would possibly give rise to concerns about hazardous materials, protected species, historic remains, or other such factors. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Equal Credit Opportunity Act – designed to ensure that all qualified people have access to credit. It forbids lenders from rejecting credit applicants on the basis of race, gender, marital status, age, or national origin and requires lenders to consider public assistance in the same light as other forms of income. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Equity – the market value of a homeowner’s unencumbered interest in their real property, that is, the difference between the home’s fair market value and the outstanding balance of all liens on the property. Wikipedia
  • Escalation clause – a clause in any of a wide variety of contractual or real property arrangements that allows one party to increase the price upon the happening of certain specified events. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Fannie Mae – Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA). A publicly owned, government-sponsored corporation chartered in 1938 to purchase mortgages from lenders and resell them to investors. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Federal Housing Administration (FHA) – An agency of the United States federal government responsible for encouraging homeownership. It does this primarily by providing insurance to private mortgage lenders. It finances its activities by buying mortgages from the lender, repackaging them as mortgage-backed securities, and re-selling them. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Finance charge – any fee representing the cost of credit, or the cost of borrowing. Wikipedia
  • Fixed-Rate Mortgage – a fully amortizing mortgage loan where the interest rate on the note remains the same through the term of the loan. Wikipedia
  • Freddie Mac – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC). A Congressionally chartered corporation that purchases residential mortgages in the secondary market from S&Ls, banks, and mortgage bankers and securities for sale in the capital markets. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Ginnie Mae – Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA). A United States government-owned enterprise that buys mortgages from banks and pools them, selling the pools as mortgage-backed securities. Ginnie Mae securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and as such are consider risk-free investments. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Government-backed Loan – a loan subsidized by the government, also known as a Federal Direct Loan, which protects lenders against defaults on payments, thus making it a lot easier for lenders to offer potential borrowers lower interest rates. Its primary aim is to make home ownership affordable to lower income households and first-time buyers. Wikipedia
  • Grantee – a person or entity receiving the property. Wikipedia
  • Grantor – a person or other entity giving the property. Wikipedia
  • Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM) – the ratio of the price of a real estate investment to its annual rental income before accounting for expenses such as property taxes, insurance, and utilities; GRM is the number of years the property would take to pay for itself in gross received rent.  Wikipedia
  • Hard Money Loan – a specific type of asset-based loan financing through which a borrower receives funds secured by real property. Hard money loans are typically issued by private investors or companies. Interest rates are typically higher than conventional commercial or residential property loans because of the higher risk and shorter duration of the loan. Wikipedia
  • Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) – a line of credit in which one borrows against the value of one’s home. That is, the collateral on a home equity line of credit is one’s house. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Home Equity Loan – a loan in which the one borrows against the value of one’s home. That is, the collateral of a home-equity loan is one’s house. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Home Inspection – a limited, non-invasive examination of the condition of a home, often in connection with the sale of that home. Home inspections are usually conducted by a home inspector who has the training and certifications to perform such inspections. Wikipedia
  • Homeowner Association (HOA) – a private association often formed by a real estate developer for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling homes and lots in a residential subdivision. Wikipedia
  • Homeowner’s Insurance – An insurance policy protecting a homeowner against damage or loss to property. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Income Property – Property intended to produce income for its owners, especially from rent. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Interest Only Loan – a loan in which the borrower pays only the interest for some or all of the term, with the principal balance unchanged during the interest-only period. At the end of the interest-only term the borrower must renegotiate another interest-only mortgage, pay the principal, or, if previously agreed, convert the loan to a principal-and-interest payment (amortized) loan at the borrower’s option. Wikipedia
  • Interest Rate – the proportion of an amount loaned which a lender charges as interest to the borrower, normally expressed as an annual percentage. Wikipedia
  • Joint Tenants in Common – a way for two or more persons to own property together. Joint tenants in common may own equal or unequal shares of the property (but shares are usually equal), and there are no rights of survivorship. That is, when one of the co-owners dies, his/her share of the property becomes part of his/her estate and passes on to heirs. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Jumbo Loan – . A mortgage loan that exceeds the limits for securitization by U.S. government mortgage banks. As such, a jumbo loan cannot be guaranteed or securitized by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Farlex Financial Dictionary

No terms to share.

  • Land Lease (Ground Lease) – a long-term lease of land in which the tenant will erect improvements at its own expense. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Listing Agent – the real estate agent who obtained a listing contract from a property owner, authorizing the broker for whom the agent works to market and solicit offers to buy the owner’s property on specified terms and conditions. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) – a dollar-for-dollar reduction in one’s tax liability due to an investment in a housing complex for low and moderate income persons. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Mortgage Insurance – an insurance policy that provides coverage to a lender in the event that a borrower defaults on a mortgage. This ensures that the lender does not incur a loss if the borrower is unable to repay the loan. While the lender pays the premium, it generally passes on payment to the borrower (and may roll it into the monthly mortgage payment). Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Mortgage Note – a written promise to repay a specified sum of money plus interest at a specified rate and length of time to fulfill the promise. Wikipedia
  • Mortgage Protection Insurance (MPI) – an insurance policy that makes mortgage payments on behalf of the policyholder in the event of financial hardship. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Mortgage Servicer – a company to which some borrowers pay their mortgage loan payments and which performs other services in connection with mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. The mortgage servicer may be the entity that originated the mortgage, or it may have purchased the mortgage servicing rights from the original mortgage lender. Wikipedia
  • Mortgage Underwriting – the process a lender uses to determine if the risk of offering a mortgage loan to a particular borrower under certain parameters is acceptable. Wikipedia
  • Multi-family Residential – a classification of housing where multiple separate housing units for residential inhabitants are contained within one building or several buildings within one complex. Units can be next to each other (side-by-side units), or stacked on top of each other (top and bottom units). Wikipedia
  • Negative Amortization –  a loan repayment schedule in which the outstanding principal balance of the loan increases, rather than amortizing, because the scheduled monthly payments do not cover the full amount required to amortize the loan. The unpaid interest is added to the outstanding principal, to be repaid later. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Non-conforming Loan – a mortgage loan that fails to meet standards set by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
  • Occupancy Cost – costs related to occupying a space including; rent, real estate taxes, personal property taxes, insurance on building and contents, depreciation, and amortization expenses. Wikipedia
  • Opportunity Zone – a designation and investment program created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 allowing for certain investments in lower income areas to have tax advantages. Wikipedia
  • Option Period – in Texas, a short period of time during which a seller of real estate may not to sell to anyone other than the person or entity who placed a bid. This gives the potential buyer time to perform inspections without placing his/her earnest money at risk. The potential buyer pays a non-refundable option fee, which is distinct from earnest money, in order to take advantage of an option period. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Origination Fee -an upfront fee charged by some lenders, expressed as a percent of the loan amount. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Owner Financing (Seller Financing) – loan provided by the seller of a property or business to the purchaser. Wikipedia
  • Passive Income – income that requires minimal labor to earn and maintain. Wikipedia
  • Piggyback Second Mortgage – piggyback second mortgages are originated concurrently with the first mortgage to finance the purchase of a home in a single closing process. In a conventional mortgage arrangement, homebuyers are permitted to borrow 80 percent of the property’s value whilst placing a down payment of 20 percent. Wikipedia
  • PITI – an acronym for a mortgage payment that is the sum of monthly principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. Wikipedia
  • Preapproval – a commitment by a mortgage lender to provide a loan with a certain monthly payment to a borrower. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Prequalification – the act or process of determining the approximate amount a borrower will be able to borrow before he/she actually applies for a loan. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Prepaid interest – Interest on a loan that is paid before it is billed to the borrower. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Prepayment Penalty – a fee that a lender may assess if a borrower repays a loan before the scheduled maturity. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Principal – amount of money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated. Wikipedia
  • Promissory Note – a legal instrument (more particularly, a financing instrument and a debt instrument), in which one party (the maker or issuer) promises in writing to pay a determinate sum of money to the other (the payee), either at a fixed or determinable future time or on demand of the payee, under specific terms. Wikipedia 
  • Property Tax – an ad valorem tax on the value of a property. Wikipedia
  • Purchase Price – the contractually agreed upon price for a property, before credits, adjustments, or concessions. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Purchase and Sale Agreement – an agreement between a buyer and a seller of real estate property, company stock, or other assets. Wikipedia
  • Quitclaim Deed – a legal instrument that is used to transfer interest in real property. The entity transferring its interest is called the grantor, and when the quitclaim deed is properly completed and executed, it transfers any interest the grantor has in the property to a recipient, called the grantee.[1] The owner/grantor terminates (“quits”) any right and claim to the property, thereby allowing the right or claim to transfer to the recipient/grantee. Wikipedia
  • Qualifying Ratio – the maximum debt-to-income ratio for a mortgage. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Rate Lock – an agreement between a mortgage bank and a potential borrower promising that that the bank will not change the proposed interest rate on a loan that has not been concluded for a certain period of time. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Real Estate Agent – a person who facilitates the sale of real estate. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) – a company that owns, and in most cases operates, income-producing real estate. REITs own many types of commercial real estate, ranging from office and apartment buildings to warehouses, hospitals, shopping centers, hotels and commercial forests. Some REITs engage in financing real estate. Wikipedia
  • Real Estate Owned (REO) – a term used in the United States to describe a class of property owned by a lender—typically a bank, government agency, or government loan insurer—after an unsuccessful sale at a foreclosure auction. Wikipedia
  • Real Property – Land and the improvements on it. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Realtor – a designation reserved for members of the National Association of Realtors, and encompasses both real-estate agents and real-estate brokers. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Residential Mortgage – A loan that one or more persons receive in order to buy a house or other residential property in which they will live. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Residential Property – any property that a municipality has designated for single family homes, apartments, co-operatives, townhouses, and any other place where people live. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Return on Investment (ROI) – the money that a person or company earns as a percentage of the total value of his/her/its assets that are invested (ROI = (Income – Cost) / Cost). Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Reverse Mortgage – a loan borrowed against the value of one’s home. In this situation, the lender gives the borrower the amount of the loan and the borrower makes no payments and retains title to his/her home. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Right of First Refusal – the right of a person or organization to take advantage of a transaction before it is open to other parties. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Right of Rescission – the right to void a contract without any penalty within three days as provided in the Consumer Credit Protection Act of 1968. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Second Mortgage – a property lien that is subordinate to another mortgage on the same property. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Survey – The process by which land is located with reference to commonly agreed upon landmarks or other points of reference, and then measured out for all of its boundaries, including distances and direction-and-degree of turns. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Title Insurance – a form of indemnity insurance predominantly found in the United States and Canada which insures against financial loss from defects in title to real property and from the invalidity or unenforceability of mortgage loans. Wikipedia
  • Title Search – in real estate, research done to trace a title back to its original owner or back to some date dictated by statute. A title search is done before the sale of property to ensure that there are no competing claims for the same property. A title search protects the mortgage lender from the possibility that that a competing claim will be honored in court, resulting in a loss. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Truth in Lending Act -Title I of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. It is a federal law that requires lenders to make certain disclosures to potential borrowers within 3 days after receipt of a written loan application. A final disclosure statement is provided at the time of loan closing. Farlex Financial Dictionary 
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. Wikipedia
  • U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) – a Cabinet department in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government that was founded to develop and execute policies on housing and metropolises. Wikipedia
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with integrating life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 1700 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country. Non-healthcare benefits include disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education assistance, home loans, and life insurance; and provides burial and memorial benefits to eligible veterans and family members at 135 national cemeteries. Wikipedia
  • Valuation – the appraisal of land or buildings. Wikipedia
  • Waiver – a statement of the voluntary surrender of a right. Farlex Financial Dictionary

No terms to share.

No terms to share.

  • Zoning – method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Wikipedia
  • Addendum – an additional document not included in the main part of the contract. Wikipedia
  • Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) – a mortgage loan with the interest rate on the note periodically adjusted based on an index which reflects the cost to the lender of borrowing on the credit markets. Wikipedia
  • Amortization – paying off an amount owed over time by making planned, incremental payments of principal and interest. Wikipedia
  • Annual Percentage Rate (APR) – the interest rate for a whole year (annualized). It is a finance charge expressed as an annual rate. Wikipedia
  • Appraisal – the process of developing an opinion of value for real property (usually market value). Wikipedia
  • Appraiser – a person that develops an opinion of the market value or other value of a product, most notably real estate. Wikipedia
  • As is – describing the sale of an asset in which the seller gives no guarantee on the quality of the asset and makes no repairs that may be necessary. An “as is” sale transfers all risk to the buyer. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Assignment – a legal term used in the context of the law of contract and of property. In both instances, assignment is the process whereby a person, the assignor, transfers rights or benefits to another, the assignee. Wikipedia
  • Balloon Payment Mortgage – a mortgage which does not fully amortize over the term of the note, thus leaving a balance due at maturity. The final payment is called a balloon payment because of its large size. Wikipedia
  • Basis Points – a value equaling one one-hundredth of a percent (1/100 of 1%). One basis point is equal to 0.01%. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Blanket Mortgage – a type of loan used to fund the purchase of more than one piece of real property. Blanket loans are popular with builders and developers who buy large tracts of land, then subdivide them to create many individual parcels to be gradually sold one at a time. Wikipedia
  • Borrower – a person or company that has received money from another party with the agreement that the money will be repaid. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Break-even Ratio (BER) – estimates how vulnerable a property is to defaulting on its debt should rental income decline. Wikipedia
  • Bridge Loan – a short-term loan,usually from a bank,that “bridges”the period between the closing of a home purchase and the closing of a home sale. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Building Inspection – an inspection performed by a building inspector, a person who is employed by either a city, township or county and is usually certified in one or more disciplines qualifying them to make professional judgment about whether a building meets building code requirements. Wikipedia
  • Building Occupancy Classifications – refer to categorizing structures based on their usage and are primarily used for building and fire code enforcement. They are usually defined by model building codes, and vary, somewhat, among them. Often, many of them are subdivided. Wikipedia
  • Buyer Agency – the practice of real estate brokers and their agents representing a buyer in a real estate transaction. Wikipedia
  • Cancellation Clause – a clause in a contract or lease that allows one or either party to cancel it upon the happening of certain named events other than a default.  Farlax Financial Dictionary
  • Capitalization Rate (Cap Rate) – a real estate valuation measure used to compare different real estate investments. Although there are many variations, a cap rate is often calculated as the ratio between the net operating income produced by an asset and current market value. Wikipedia
  • Cash-on-Cash Return (CCR) – the ratio of annual before-tax cash flow to the total amount of cash invested, expressed as a percentage. Wikipedia
  • Certificate of Occupancy – a document issued by a local government certifying that a structure has passed all required inspections and is ready for occupancy. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Closing Costs – fees paid at the closing of a real estate transaction. Wikipedia
  • Co-borrower – one or more persons who have signed the note and are equally responsible for repaying the loan. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Commercial Real Estate – commercial property, also called commercial real estate, investment property or income property, is real estate (buildings or land) intended to generate a profit, either from capital gains or rental income. Wikipedia
  • Commercial Mortgage – a mortgage loan secured by commercial property, such as an office building, shopping center, industrial warehouse, or apartment complex. The proceeds from a commercial mortgage are typically used to acquire, refinance, or redevelop commercial property. Wikipedia
  • Commission – a form of payment to an agent for services rendered. Wikipedia
  • Common Area Maintenance – CAM for short, are one of the net charges billed to tenants in a commercial triple net (NNN) lease, and are paid by tenants to the landlord of a commercial property. A CAM charge is an additional rent, charged on top of base rent, and is mainly composed of maintenance fees for work performed on the common area of a property. Wikipedia
  • Compound interest – the addition of interest to the principal sum of a loan or deposit, or in other words, interest on interest. It is the result of reinvesting interest, rather than paying it out, so that interest in the next period is then earned on the principal sum plus previously accumulated interest. Wikipedia
  • Conforming Mortgage – a loan eligible for purchase by the two major federal agencies that buy mortgages, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Contingency Clause – a clause that allows cancellation of a contract without penalty if a certain described thing happens. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Contract – a contract between parties for the purchase and sale, exchange, or other conveyance of real estate. Wikipedia
  • Conventional Mortgage – a loan based on the credit of the borrower and on the collateral for the mortgage. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Credit History – a record of a borrower’s responsible repayment of debts. Wikipedia
  • Credit Report – a record of the borrower’s credit history from a number of sources, including banks, credit card companies, collection agencies, and governments. Wikipedia
  • Credit Score – a numerical expression based on a level analysis of a person’s credit files, to represent the creditworthiness of an individual. Wikipedia
  • Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) – the ratio of operating income available to debt servicing for interest, principal and lease payments. It is a popular benchmark used in the measurement of an entity’s (person or corporation) ability to produce enough cash to cover its debt (including lease) payments. Wikipedia
  • Debt Ratio – a financial ratio that indicates the percentage of a company’s assets that are provided via debt. It is the ratio of total debt (long-term liabilities) and total assets (the sum of current assets, fixed assets, and other assets such as ‘goodwill’). Wikipedia
  • Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI) – the percentage of a consumer’s monthly gross income that goes toward paying debts. There are two main kinds of DTI: front-end ratio (indicates the percentage of income that goes toward housing costs) and back-end ratio (indicates the percentage of income that goes toward paying all recurring debt payments). Wikipedia
  • Deed – any legal instrument in writing which passes, affirms or confirms an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions, sealed. It is commonly associated with transferring (conveyancing) title to property.  Wikipedia
  • Deed Restriction – A provision placed in a deed restricting or limiting the use of the property in some manner. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Discount Point – one percentage point of the principal of a mortgage loan that some lenders require borrowers to pay immediately as a condition of making the loan. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Down Payment – the amount, usually stated as a percentage, of the total cost of a property that you pay in cash as part of a real estate transaction. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Due Diligence – the investigation or exercise of care that a reasonable business or person is normally expected to take before entering into an agreement or contract with another party or an act with a certain standard of care. Wikipedia
  • Earnest money – a small amount of money that a seller requires a potential buyer to deposit before a transaction is completed. Earnest money ensures that the potential buyer is serious about the transaction and will be likely to complete it when the time comes. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Easement – a nonpossessory right to use and/or enter onto the real property of another without possessing it. Wikipedia
  • Escrow – a contractual arrangement in which a third party (the stakeholder or escrow agent) receives and disburses money or property for the primary transacting parties, with the disbursement dependent on conditions agreed to by the transacting parties. Wikipedia
  • Environmental Assessment – a study of land to determine if there are any factors such as would possibly give rise to concerns about hazardous materials, protected species, historic remains, or other such factors. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Equal Credit Opportunity Act – designed to ensure that all qualified people have access to credit. It forbids lenders from rejecting credit applicants on the basis of race, gender, marital status, age, or national origin and requires lenders to consider public assistance in the same light as other forms of income. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Equity – the market value of a homeowner’s unencumbered interest in their real property, that is, the difference between the home’s fair market value and the outstanding balance of all liens on the property. Wikipedia
  • Escalation clause – a clause in any of a wide variety of contractual or real property arrangements that allows one party to increase the price upon the happening of certain specified events. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Fannie Mae – Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA). A publicly owned, government-sponsored corporation chartered in 1938 to purchase mortgages from lenders and resell them to investors. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Federal Housing Administration (FHA) – An agency of the United States federal government responsible for encouraging homeownership. It does this primarily by providing insurance to private mortgage lenders. It finances its activities by buying mortgages from the lender, repackaging them as mortgage-backed securities, and re-selling them. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Finance charge – any fee representing the cost of credit, or the cost of borrowing. Wikipedia
  • Fixed-Rate Mortgage – a fully amortizing mortgage loan where the interest rate on the note remains the same through the term of the loan. Wikipedia
  • Freddie Mac – Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC). A Congressionally chartered corporation that purchases residential mortgages in the secondary market from S&Ls, banks, and mortgage bankers and securities for sale in the capital markets. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Ginnie Mae – Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA). A United States government-owned enterprise that buys mortgages from banks and pools them, selling the pools as mortgage-backed securities. Ginnie Mae securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and as such are consider risk-free investments. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Government-backed Loan – a loan subsidized by the government, also known as a Federal Direct Loan, which protects lenders against defaults on payments, thus making it a lot easier for lenders to offer potential borrowers lower interest rates. Its primary aim is to make home ownership affordable to lower income households and first-time buyers. Wikipedia
  • Grantee – a person or entity receiving the property. Wikipedia
  • Grantor – a person or other entity giving the property. Wikipedia
  • Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM) – the ratio of the price of a real estate investment to its annual rental income before accounting for expenses such as property taxes, insurance, and utilities; GRM is the number of years the property would take to pay for itself in gross received rent.  Wikipedia
  • Hard Money Loan – a specific type of asset-based loan financing through which a borrower receives funds secured by real property. Hard money loans are typically issued by private investors or companies. Interest rates are typically higher than conventional commercial or residential property loans because of the higher risk and shorter duration of the loan. Wikipedia
  • Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) – a line of credit in which one borrows against the value of one’s home. That is, the collateral on a home equity line of credit is one’s house. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Home Equity Loan – a loan in which the one borrows against the value of one’s home. That is, the collateral of a home-equity loan is one’s house. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Home Inspection – a limited, non-invasive examination of the condition of a home, often in connection with the sale of that home. Home inspections are usually conducted by a home inspector who has the training and certifications to perform such inspections. Wikipedia
  • Homeowner Association (HOA) – a private association often formed by a real estate developer for the purpose of marketing, managing, and selling homes and lots in a residential subdivision. Wikipedia
  • Homeowner’s Insurance – An insurance policy protecting a homeowner against damage or loss to property. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Income Property – Property intended to produce income for its owners, especially from rent. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Interest Only Loan – a loan in which the borrower pays only the interest for some or all of the term, with the principal balance unchanged during the interest-only period. At the end of the interest-only term the borrower must renegotiate another interest-only mortgage, pay the principal, or, if previously agreed, convert the loan to a principal-and-interest payment (amortized) loan at the borrower’s option. Wikipedia
  • Interest Rate – the proportion of an amount loaned which a lender charges as interest to the borrower, normally expressed as an annual percentage. Wikipedia
  • Joint Tenants in Common – a way for two or more persons to own property together. Joint tenants in common may own equal or unequal shares of the property (but shares are usually equal), and there are no rights of survivorship. That is, when one of the co-owners dies, his/her share of the property becomes part of his/her estate and passes on to heirs. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Jumbo Loan – . A mortgage loan that exceeds the limits for securitization by U.S. government mortgage banks. As such, a jumbo loan cannot be guaranteed or securitized by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Farlex Financial Dictionary

No terms to share.

  • Land Lease (Ground Lease) – a long-term lease of land in which the tenant will erect improvements at its own expense. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Listing Agent – the real estate agent who obtained a listing contract from a property owner, authorizing the broker for whom the agent works to market and solicit offers to buy the owner’s property on specified terms and conditions. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) – a dollar-for-dollar reduction in one’s tax liability due to an investment in a housing complex for low and moderate income persons. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Mortgage Insurance – an insurance policy that provides coverage to a lender in the event that a borrower defaults on a mortgage. This ensures that the lender does not incur a loss if the borrower is unable to repay the loan. While the lender pays the premium, it generally passes on payment to the borrower (and may roll it into the monthly mortgage payment). Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Mortgage Note – a written promise to repay a specified sum of money plus interest at a specified rate and length of time to fulfill the promise. Wikipedia
  • Mortgage Protection Insurance (MPI) – an insurance policy that makes mortgage payments on behalf of the policyholder in the event of financial hardship. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Mortgage Servicer – a company to which some borrowers pay their mortgage loan payments and which performs other services in connection with mortgages and mortgage-backed securities. The mortgage servicer may be the entity that originated the mortgage, or it may have purchased the mortgage servicing rights from the original mortgage lender. Wikipedia
  • Mortgage Underwriting – the process a lender uses to determine if the risk of offering a mortgage loan to a particular borrower under certain parameters is acceptable. Wikipedia
  • Multi-family Residential – a classification of housing where multiple separate housing units for residential inhabitants are contained within one building or several buildings within one complex. Units can be next to each other (side-by-side units), or stacked on top of each other (top and bottom units). Wikipedia
  • Negative Amortization –  a loan repayment schedule in which the outstanding principal balance of the loan increases, rather than amortizing, because the scheduled monthly payments do not cover the full amount required to amortize the loan. The unpaid interest is added to the outstanding principal, to be repaid later. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Non-conforming Loan – a loan that fails to meet bank criteria for funding. Wikipedia
  • Occupancy Cost – costs related to occupying a space including; rent, real estate taxes, personal property taxes, insurance on building and contents, depreciation, and amortization expenses. Wikipedia
  • Opportunity Zone – a designation and investment program created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 allowing for certain investments in lower income areas to have tax advantages. Wikipedia
  • Option Period – in Texas, a short period of time during which a seller of real estate may not to sell to anyone other than the person or entity who placed a bid. This gives the potential buyer time to perform inspections without placing his/her earnest money at risk. The potential buyer pays a non-refundable option fee, which is distinct from earnest money, in order to take advantage of an option period. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Origination Fee -an upfront fee charged by some lenders, expressed as a percent of the loan amount. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Owner Financing (Seller Financing) – loan provided by the seller of a property or business to the purchaser. Wikipedia
  • Passive Income – income that requires minimal labor to earn and maintain. Wikipedia
  • Piggyback Second Mortgage – piggyback second mortgages are originated concurrently with the first mortgage to finance the purchase of a home in a single closing process. In a conventional mortgage arrangement, homebuyers are permitted to borrow 80 percent of the property’s value whilst placing a down payment of 20 percent. Wikipedia
  • PITI – an acronym for a mortgage payment that is the sum of monthly principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. Wikipedia
  • Preapproval – a commitment by a mortgage lender to provide a loan with a certain monthly payment to a borrower. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Prequalification – the act or process of determining the approximate amount a borrower will be able to borrow before he/she actually applies for a loan. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Prepaid interest – Interest on a loan that is paid before it is billed to the borrower. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Prepayment Penalty – a fee that a lender may assess if a borrower repays a loan before the scheduled maturity. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Principal – amount of money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated. Wikipedia
  • Promissory Note – a legal instrument (more particularly, a financing instrument and a debt instrument), in which one party (the maker or issuer) promises in writing to pay a determinate sum of money to the other (the payee), either at a fixed or determinable future time or on demand of the payee, under specific terms. Wikipedia 
  • Property Tax – an ad valorem tax on the value of a property. Wikipedia
  • Purchase Price – the contractually agreed upon price for a property, before credits, adjustments, or concessions. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Purchase and Sale Agreement – an agreement between a buyer and a seller of real estate property, company stock, or other assets. Wikipedia
  • Quitclaim Deed – a legal instrument that is used to transfer interest in real property. The entity transferring its interest is called the grantor, and when the quitclaim deed is properly completed and executed, it transfers any interest the grantor has in the property to a recipient, called the grantee.[1] The owner/grantor terminates (“quits”) any right and claim to the property, thereby allowing the right or claim to transfer to the recipient/grantee. Wikipedia
  • Qualifying Ratio – the maximum debt-to-income ratio for a mortgage. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Rate Lock – an agreement between a mortgage bank and a potential borrower promising that that the bank will not change the proposed interest rate on a loan that has not been concluded for a certain period of time. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Real Estate Agent – a person who facilitates the sale of real estate. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) – a company that owns, and in most cases operates, income-producing real estate. REITs own many types of commercial real estate, ranging from office and apartment buildings to warehouses, hospitals, shopping centers, hotels and commercial forests. Some REITs engage in financing real estate. Wikipedia
  • Real Estate Owned (REO) – a term used in the United States to describe a class of property owned by a lender—typically a bank, government agency, or government loan insurer—after an unsuccessful sale at a foreclosure auction. Wikipedia
  • Real Property – Land and the improvements on it. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Realtor – a designation reserved for members of the National Association of Realtors, and encompasses both real-estate agents and real-estate brokers. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Residential Mortgage – A loan that one or more persons receive in order to buy a house or other residential property in which they will live. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Residential Property – any property that a municipality has designated for single family homes, apartments, co-operatives, townhouses, and any other place where people live. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Return on Investment (ROI) – the money that a person or company earns as a percentage of the total value of his/her/its assets that are invested (ROI = (Income – Cost) / Cost). Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Reverse Mortgage – a loan borrowed against the value of one’s home. In this situation, the lender gives the borrower the amount of the loan and the borrower makes no payments and retains title to his/her home. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Right of First Refusal – the right of a person or organization to take advantage of a transaction before it is open to other parties. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Right of Rescission – the right to void a contract without any penalty within three days as provided in the Consumer Credit Protection Act of 1968. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Second Mortgage – a property lien that is subordinate to another mortgage on the same property. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Survey – The process by which land is located with reference to commonly agreed upon landmarks or other points of reference, and then measured out for all of its boundaries, including distances and direction-and-degree of turns. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Title Insurance – a form of indemnity insurance predominantly found in the United States and Canada which insures against financial loss from defects in title to real property and from the invalidity or unenforceability of mortgage loans. Wikipedia
  • Title Search – in real estate, research done to trace a title back to its original owner or back to some date dictated by statute. A title search is done before the sale of property to ensure that there are no competing claims for the same property. A title search protects the mortgage lender from the possibility that that a competing claim will be honored in court, resulting in a loss. Farlex Financial Dictionary
  • Truth in Lending Act -Title I of the Consumer Credit Protection Act. It is a federal law that requires lenders to make certain disclosures to potential borrowers within 3 days after receipt of a written loan application. A final disclosure statement is provided at the time of loan closing. Farlex Financial Dictionary 
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. Wikipedia
  • U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) – a Cabinet department in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government that was founded to develop and execute policies on housing and metropolises. Wikipedia
  • U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) – a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with integrating life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 1700 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country. Non-healthcare benefits include disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education assistance, home loans, and life insurance; and provides burial and memorial benefits to eligible veterans and family members at 135 national cemeteries. Wikipedia
  • Valuation – the appraisal of land or buildings. Wikipedia
  • Waiver – a statement of the voluntary surrender of a right. Farlex Financial Dictionary

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  • Zoning – method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Wikipedia

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