As I stated in the previous blog, I am defining words that involve real estate and closing transactions for purchasing or refinancing a property. We know that buying and/or refinancing a house can be a very hard and confusing process. That’s why people like us, at My Title Direct, a title insurance company, like to inform you the consumer.
We are trying to help you better understand this process.
Today we will be going over the terms that range E-P. I hope everybody is ready to have their brains swell up a little more today.
Earnest Money: The cash deposit paid by a prospective buyer as evidence of good faith to bind a sale of real estate.
Easement: A limited right or interest in land of another that entitles the holder of the right to some use, privilege or benefit over the land.
Encumbrance: A claim, right or lien upon real property, held by someone other than the owner.
Endorsement: A rider attached to an insurance policy to expand or limit coverage.
Equity: The value of a person's interest in real property after all liens and charges have been deducted.
Escrow: The process in which a disinterested third party holds money and documents for delivery to the respective parties in a transaction on performance of established conditions.
Exception: A provision in a title insurance binder or policy which excludes liability for a specified title defect or an outstanding lien or encumbrance.
Fair Market Value: An appraisal term for the price which a property would bring in a competitive market given a willing seller and willing buyer, each of whom has a reasonable knowledge of all pertinent facts, with neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell.
Fee Simple: An estate under which the owner owns a complete interest in the property and is entitled to the unrestricted use and enjoyment of the property, including the right to dispose of the property.
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC, Freddie Mac): A quasi-governmental agency that purchases conventional mortgages in the secondary mortgage market from depository institutions and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved mortgage bankers.
Federal Housing Administration (FHA): A division of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Its main activity is the insuring of residential mortgage loans by private lenders.
Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA, Fannie Mae): A tax paying corporation created by Congress to support the secondary mortgage market. It purchases and sells residential mortgages insured by FHA or guaranteed by VA as well as conventional home mortgages.
Finance Charge: A total of all costs imposed directly or indirectly by the creditor and payable either directly or indirectly by the customer, as defined by the federal Truth-in-Lending laws.
First Mortgage: A mortgage on property that is superior in right to any other mortgage.
Fixed Rate Loan: A loan on which the same rate of interest is charged for the life of the loan.
Fixture: Personal property which is permanently attached to real property, and, as such, becomes part of the real property.
Grantee: One to whom a grant is made. The purchaser of real property.
Grantor: One who has made a grant. The seller of real property.
Hidden Defect: An encumbrance on a title that is not apparent in the public records; for example, unknown heirs, secret marriages and forged instruments.
Impound Account: An account held by a lender for the payment of taxes, insurance or other periodic debts against real property.
Joint Tenancy: A means of ownership in which two or more persons own equal shares in real property. Upon the death of one tenant, his/her share passes to the remaining tenant(s) until title is vested in the last survivor.
Legal Description: A description by which property can be definitely located by reference to surveys or recorded maps. Sometimes referred to simply as the legal.
Lien: A recorded document which claims an interest in real property as security for a debt owed. Such liability may be created by contract, such as a deed of trust, or by a court judgment.
Lis Pendens: Legal notice that a lawsuit is pending. Also called a notice of action.
Loan-to-Value Ratio: The ratio of the mortgage loan's principal to the property's appraised value or its sales price, whichever is lower.
Marketable Title: Title which is free from defects which would allow a purchaser to be released from his obligation to purchase.
Market Value: An appraisal term denoting the highest price that a buyer, willing but not compelled to buy, would pay, and the lowest a seller, willing but not compelled to sell, would accept.
Mechanic's Lien: A lien on real estate which secures the payment of debts due to persons who perform labor or services or furnish materials incident to the construction of buildings and improvement on real estate.
Metes and Bounds: A form of land description in which boundaries are described by courses, directions, distances and monuments.
Mortgage: A legal document used to secure the performance of an obligation.
Notarization: The certification by a Notary Public that a person signing a document has been properly identified. Notarization does not certify the content of a document, only validity of signature.
Perfecting Title: Process involving the elimination of any adverse claims against a title.
PITI: Refers to principal, interest, taxes and insurance, the four major components of a usual monthly mortgage payment.
PITI Ratio: The principal, interest, tax and insurance payment to income ratio. Used in mortgage lending decisions.
Points: A fee charged by the lender to fund a loan, in addition to and separate from other fees charged. One point equals one percent of the amount of the loan.
Principal: The sum of money outstanding upon which interest is payable. Also refers to one who is served by an agent.
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI): Insurance written by a private mortgage insurance company protecting the mortgage lender against loss occasioned by a mortgage default and foreclosure.
Proration: The method used in dividing charges into that portion which applies only to a party's ownership up to a particular date.
This concludes the end to the second section out of four. It is a lot to digest, but I am sure that a lot of you are saying, wow so that’s what that means or I wish I knew that at an earlier time. Don’t worry if you have not started your transaction yet, this is still some good information to know. At My Title Direct, we are a group of professionals when it comes to real estate and title insurance transactions. We are more than willing to answer any questions you may have. Please email me at vgavrity@titleguarantee.com with any questions. If you are interested getting a free instant quote, please visit our website at www.mytitledirect.com. All of our quotes are 100% guaranteed not to change and we charge no upfront fees.
