The more real estate terms you understand, the more comfortable you will be in your home buying process. This is especially true for financial vocabulary related to real estate transactions.
To help familiarize you with some of these important concepts, here is a quick guide to financial real estate terms:
Fixed rate mortgage
A fixed rate mortgage is one of the many types of mortgage loan available to prospective buyers. A fixed rate mortgage is a loan that maintains the same interest rate throughout the entire term of the loan.
This means the interest rate won’t fluctuate with market conditions, and won’t increase or decrease over time. A fixed rate mortgage is beneficial for homeowners who want to know exactly how much their monthly mortgage payment will be.
Down payment
The down payment is the amount of money paid upfront to a mortgage lender to buy a home. The amount of the down payment can affect things like interest rates and the total amount of the mortgage loan.
For instance, a large down payment means you borrow less money, and therefore pay more upfront rather than more overtime in interest.
Fair market value
Fair market value refers to the variable value of a property based on market conditions. A real estate agent can help you find the fair market value of a home by conducting a comparative analysis of similar properties in the same area.
Some of the factors that can impact market value include curb appeal, square footage, energy efficiency and overall condition of the property.
These are just a few examples of real estate terms that can help you in a real estate transaction. By learning the language real estate agents use, the more confident you will feel on the search for your dream home.
About the Author
Bob Hummer
Bob Hummer brings a wealth of experience with him; a practitioner in real estate in Northern Virginia since 1978, a Life Member of both the Million Dollar Sales Club and the Top Producers Club with over 2,500 Satisfied Families and President, Prince William Association of REALTORS in 1991. His experiences range from helping buyers and sellers attain their goals; to renovating historic homes on Capitol Hill; to counseling and assisting homeowners facing the loss of their home due to foreclosure. Since 1996, he has presented his free monthly Home Buyer and Home Seller seminars at the Woodbridge campus of Strayer University. In June 2023 he completed the Certified Probate Real Estate Specialist course and was awarded the designation CPRES. His goal is to assist individuals who inherited real estate and wish to sell. A former "Military Brat" and a retired Air Force Hospital Administrator, Bob has made more than 26 moves during his life and is extremely familiar with all aspects of a family relocating - whether it is across the street or across the nation.