| CAPTIAL IMPROVEMENT |
A permanent structure erected to extend the useful life and value of a property. (The replacement of a roof would be considered a capital improvement.) |
| CASH VALUE |
The actual money that an Asset will bring on the open market without any lengthy delay. |
| CAVEAT EMPTOR |
“Let the retail buyer beware” is Latin. Summarizes the rule that the retail buyer must examine, judge and test merchandise/property for himself. |
| CERTIFICATE OF TITLE |
A document stating that title to a particular property is clear. It is prepared by an attorney or qualified person who has examined the abstract of title, but is not to be confused with title insurance. It is only an opinion that title is good. Usually given to a homeowner with the deed. |
| CHAIN OF TITLE |
A history of the conveyances and encumbrances affecting a title from the time the original patent was granted, or as far back as records are available. |
| CHAPTER 7 |
One of the chapters in the federal Bankruptcy Code. Chapter 7 is liquidation bankruptcy in which a debtor’s nonexempt assets are gathered together and given up or sold for the benefit of creditors in order of their priority. Priority creditors get much of the cash, if any. Their debts are not discharged. Secured creditors receive continued payments or the asset that served as collateral for the loan. Unsecured creditors are usually given little or nothing in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. |
| CHAPTER 13 |
One of the bankruptcy chapters in the federal Bankruptcy Code. Under Chapter 13, a wage earner can reduce debt payments through a bankruptcy court order according to the terms of a plan that will allow the debtor to pay much or even all of the original amount. |
| CHATTEL |
Personal property, such as household goods or fixtures. |
| CHATTEL MORTGAGE |
A mortgage on personal property. |
| CLEAR TITLE |
A title free and clear of all encumbrances. |
| CLIENT |
The one by whom a broker is employed (the principal) and by whom the broker will be compensated. |
| CLOSING DATE |
The date upon which the buyer takes over the property |
| CLOSING STATEMENT |
An accounting by a broker of funds in a real estate sale, made to the seller and to the retail buyer. |
| CLOUD ON TITLE |
An outstanding claim or encumbrance which would affect or impair the owner’s title, if valid. A judgment or dower interest |
| COLLATERAL |
Additional security pledged for the payment of a debt |
| COLLECTIONS |
An activity in which lenders or their agents employ various techniques to put pressure on borrowers to pay what they owe |
| COLOR OF TITLE |
An apparent, invalid, title |
| COMPARABLE |
Properties listed in an appraisal report which are substantially equivalent to the subject property, comparable in selling price, rental, income or similar measure. |
| COMPENSABLE INTEREST |
Interest of parties that is to be compensated. |
| COMPLIANCE INSPECTION |
Inspection of outgrants, military and civil, for compliance with terms of the outgrant and to review management/development of the property, particularly of outgrants which provide services to the general public. |
| COMPOUND INTEREST |
Interest paid both on the original principal and on interest accrued from the time it fell due. |
| CONCESSION |
A privilege granted to an individual by the Government, to sell food, etc., on Government land. |
| CONDEMNATION |
The acquisition of private property for public use, with fair compensation to the owner |
| CONDITIONAL SALES CONTRACT |
A contract for the sale of property stating that, although delivery is to be made to the buyer, the title is to remain vested in the sale until the conditions of the contract have been fulfilled |
| CONDOMINIUM |
A land ownership arrangement in which one owns an individual unit and a percentage of common areas |
| CONFORMING LOANS |
Loans that meet FNMA standards |
| CONSERVATORSHIP |
A state of affairs in which a bank or savings and loan association has been taken over by the FDIC or RTC and is being managed by these federal institutions, either directly or through hired managers. The institution will be reserved in its existing form until it can be sold complete or broken down into its major components. The institution is run on a caretaker basis until it can be sold |
| CONSIDERATION |
Something of value exchanged between the parties to a contract. It may consist of goods, services or promises |
| CONSTRUCTIVE NOTICE |
Information that a person is assumed, by law, to have simply because it could be ascertained by proper diligence and inquiry, for example, information that is to be found in the public records |
| CONTINGENCY FEE |
An employment arrangement commonly used by attorneys in which the attorney is paid a percentage of whatever money damages are awarded at the final judgment in a lawsuit |
| CONTRACT |
An agreement, either oral or written to do or not to do certain things. In real estate, there are many different types of contracts, including listings, contracts of sale, options, mortgages, assignments, leases, deeds, escrow agreements, and loan commitments, among others |
| CONTRACT FOR DEED |
A sales arrangement in which the seller holds title until the buyer finishes paying for the property. The terms of the sale and the payments are set in a written contract signed by the buyer and the seller. At the end of the payment period, the buyer gets title to the real estate by means of a deed |
| CONTRACT RENT |
Payment for use of property, as specified in a lease. |
| CONVENTIONAL LEADER |
A lender that makes conventional loans |
| COVENTIONAL LOAN |
A loan that is not insured or guaranteed by any agency of the federal government. It is a private loan |
| CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGE |
A mortgage on real estate securing a loan made by a private investor, not guaranteed by a Government agency such as FHA or VA. |
| CONVERSION |
In terms of property, the exchange of personal or real property of one character or use for another |
| CONVEYANCE |
The transfer of title to real property by means of a written instrument, such as a deed. |
| COOPERATIVE |
Multi-unit building owned by a corporation, each owner holding stock equal to the value of his apartment. Title is proprietary lease. |
| CORRELATION |
The final stage of the appraisal process in which the appraiser reviews the data and estimates the subject property’s value. |
| COST OF REPRODUCTION |
The normal cost of exact duplication of a property with the same or closely similar materials as of a certain date or period. |
| COURSES AND DISTANCES |
A method of describing or locating real property; this description gives a starting point and the direction and lengths of lines to be run; practically indistinguishable from a metes and bounds description |
| COVENANT |
A written agreement in a deed which pledges that either party will perform or abstain from specified acts on a certain property, or which specifies or forbids certain uses of the property. |
| COVERAGE |
The amount of money an insurance company will pay in response to a claim |
| CRAM-DOWN |
A Chapter 13 bankruptcy arrangement in which a plan to repay lenders and creditors, which was developed by the debtor’s attorney, is ordered into effect by the bankruptcy court. It is crammed down on the sometimes unwilling creditors |
| CREDIT |
The willingness of a borrower to repay borrowed money. It is usually measured by a borrower’s past record of payments on loans and debts, which is kept in a credit report |
| CURED DEFAULT |
Correction of a borrower’s failure to make payments or meet the terms of a loan to the lender’s satisfaction |
| CURRENT VALUE |
The value at the time of an appraisal |
| CURTESY |
The common law life estate of a husband to land his wife possessed in fee at her death. This interest has been abrogated as modified by statute in many states. |
