Real Estate Terms You Should Know

Get familiar with these commonly used terms in the real estate industry

If you are involved in buying or selling real estate. Or, just for your general knowledge. There are numerous terms, commonly used jargon, in the real estate industry that make up a peculiar language all its own, which would be beneficial for you to learn.

This jargon isn’t difficult to master, but there is real danger of hearing and using words you don’t fully understand.

This jargon isn’t difficult to master, but there is real danger of hearing and using words you don’t fully understand.

Following are some basic terms that are often misunderstood :

real-estate-terms
  • MLS—Multiple Listing Service

    An organization that collects, compiles, and distributes information about properties listed for sale by its members, who are real estate brokers. Membership isn’t open to the general public, although selected MLS data may be sold to real estate listing websites. MLS’s can be local or regional. There is no “one” MLS covering the entire nation.

  • PITI

    Principle, interest, taxes and insurance (PITI) are the four components of a monthly mortgage payment. Principal refers to the part of the monthly payment that reduces the remaining balance of the mortgage. Interest is the fee charged for borrowing the money. Taxes and insurance refer to the amounts that are paid into an escrow account each month for property taxes and mortgage and hazard insurance.

  • CMA

    Comparative Market Analysis. A CMA is a report that shows prices of properties that are comparable to a subject property and that were recently sold, are currently on the market or were on the market, but not sold within the listing period.

  • Closing Costs

    The entire package of miscellaneous expenses paid by the buyer and seller when the transaction closes. These costs include the brokerage commission, mortgage-related fees, escrow or attorney’s charges, recording fees, title insurance, etc. Closing costs generally are paid through escrow.

  • Contingency

    provision of an agreement that keeps the agreement from being fully legally binding until a certain condition is met. One common example is a buyer’s contractual right to obtain a professional home inspection before purchasing the home.

  • Title Insurance

    An insurance policy that protects a lender’s or owner’s interest in real property from assorted types of unexpected or fraudulent claims of ownership. It’s customary for the buyer to pay for the lender’s title insurance policy.


About United Country Real Estate

United Country Real Estate is the leading, fully integrated network of conventional and auction real estate professionals specializing in lifestyle and rural real estate. The company has been an innovator in real estate marketing since 1925, with a unique, comprehensive advertising program. This exclusive program includes the highest ranked and largest portfolios of specialty lifestyle property marketing websites, unequaled national print advertising, the largest internal real estate advertising agency, an extensive buyer database of more than 650,000 opt-in buyers and additional proprietary programs to advertise properties more broadly.

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