A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

L

Land contract	See Contract for deed
Late charge	The penalty a borrower pays when a payment is made after the due date
Lease	A written agreement between the property owner and a tenant that stipulates rent to be paid, as well as the terms under which the tenant may reside in the real estate for a designated period of time
Leasehold estate	The tenant's right to title to a property for a specific period of time whereby the tenant does not actually own the property but has a long-term lease on it
Lease option	A lease that gives the tenant the right to purchase the property, either during the lease term or at its end
Lender's Title Insurance	An insurance policy covering a lender for the loan amount, whereby the coverage declines in amount as the loan is paid off, to the point where there coverage ends when the loan is paid completely
Lessee	The individual or party who takes property upon a lease
Lessor	The individual or party who grants property upon a lease
Liabilities	An individual's financial obligations
Lien	A legal claim or charge allowed to a creditor against a debtor's property that must be paid when the property is sold to transfer title
Life estate	The right to use, occupy and own, for the duration of the life of the individual
Lifetime payment cap, or Lifetime rate cap	The limit on the amount that payments can increase or decrease over the term of an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM)
Liquid asset	Cash, or an asset that can be readily converted into cash
Liquidated damages	The compensation predetermined by both parties to a contract to be paid to the injured party, should the other party breach the contract
Lis pendens	A legal document filed in either a federal or state court indicating that a suit is pending against property located in the county where the notice is recorded
Listing agreement	A contract by which a broker is employed by the seller to find a buyer for the seller's real estate, according to the seller's terms, and for which service, the broker is paid a commission
Listing broker	A broker whose office initiates the property listing (as opposed to the cooperating broker, whose office negotiates the sale); the listing broker and the cooperating broker may be the same person
Loan origination	The process by which a lender sets up a mortgage loan secured by real property
Loan origination fee	The fee charged by the lender to the borrower for setting up a mortgage loan, usually computed as a percentage of the total mortgage amount
Loan-to-value (LTV) percentage	The proportion of the amount of the mortgage loan against the appraised value or sales price of the piece of property being pledged as collateral; e.g., a home with appraised value of $100,000 but with a $90,000 mortgage has a LTC of 90 percent
Lock-in	A guaranteed interest rate established at the time of closing which is honored if the mortgage closes within a certain period of time, also usually establishing the number of points to be paid at closing as well
Lock-in period	The time period during which the set interest rate is guaranteed to the borrower
Loss Payable Clause	A provision in an insurance policy that provides payment for any loss to two or more parties, as their interest so justifies, the two parties typically being the owner and the lender
Lot	A parcel of land with fixed boundaries as determined by a survey

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Real Estate Tips

Buying Land and New Construction >Buying Property to Build

The ideal piece of land cannot be purchased without due diligence. Say you notice a lot for sale in a suburban area that looks like a perfect place to build your dream home. Buying undeveloped land can provide an opportunity to build a house that will meet your needs, but you will need certain information before you sign on the dotted line.

Most suburban areas have zoning regulations which govern the type of structure that can be erected, the dimensions, and even the material used on the exterior. Historic preservation groups work with builders in many areas to ensure that any new construction fits in with the existing buildings. If you want to build out of the city limits, check the availability of public utility services and the cost of bringing those services to the site. Local planning and zoning boards can provide you with information about proposed development that could change your quiet country lane into a busy street.

It is a good idea to consult an architect and a zoning expert to confirm that your vision will work on the property you have selected.

	See All Tips In The "Buying Land and New Construction" Category >
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Real Estate Trivia

Q	Where was the actual location of the fictional Genovian Consulate in the 2001 Disney comedy, "The Princess Diaries"?
A	The historic Doheny mansion, located on the campus of Mount St. Mary's College, near downtown Los Angeles.
See More Real Estate Trivia >

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