Where cozy means tiny and charming means needs work.
A property advertised for sale or rent, typically appearing on real estate websites and the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The digital equivalent of a 'for sale' sign, but with better analytics.
Real property consisting of the earth itself, minus the water—the immovable asset that everyone wants a piece of. The foundation of all real estate dreams and nightmares.
The time required to fill vacant units in a newly constructed or recently acquired property with tenants. It's a landlord's test of patience measured in months and spreadsheets.
A transaction where the seller of a property immediately becomes the tenant, leasing it back from the new owner. Selling your property but refusing to really leave.
A contract between a homeowner and a real estate agent that gives the agent the right to sell your house and keep a commission if anyone buys it.
A lender's employee who originates loans and shepherds applicants through underwriting—basically, the friendly face of institutional caution.
The percentage of a property's value that's financed through a loan versus down payment. Higher LTV means less cash down but more risk for the lender and more PMI for you.
The entire process of creating a mortgage from application through funding. It's the bureaucratic journey that turns your desperate desire to buy a house into actual dollars.
A hybrid agreement where you rent with the option to buy, basically rent-to-own for people who can't decide.
A genus of flowering plants in the verbena family, native to tropical Americas, featuring clusters of small colorful flowers that change color as they age. Popular in ornamental gardens for their vibrant blooms and ability to attract butterflies.
The legal boundary that defines the edge of a property parcel. It's an invisible line that can cause huge disputes if it's not exactly where everyone thought it was.
The ratio of a mortgage amount to a property's appraised value, expressed as a percentage. An LTV of 80% means the bank is lending 80% and you're supposedly putting down 20%—in theory.
A horizontal structural member, typically made of stone, wood, or metal, that spans an opening such as a door or window and supports the weight of the structure above it. Lintels are fundamental components in architecture that allow for wider openings without the wall collapsing.
The land under your house, measured in square feet and scrutinized obsessively by buyers wondering if there's enough room for that pool they'll never build.
The aspirational number sellers put on their property, which bears little resemblance to what they'll actually accept.
The asking price determined by a real estate agent's psychic abilities and wishful thinking, divorced entirely from actual market reality.
The percentage of a lot occupied by buildings, determined by zoning regulations. It prevents your entire property from becoming a house with no yard.
Someone who paid a bank for 30 years to own a piece of earth that local governments can tax indefinitely. The proud possessor of property, zoning restrictions, and the right to mow their own lawn.