Glossary

A one-time modification of existing zoning law.

Regulations that control the use of land within a jurisdiction..

Houses built without space between them and with little or no yard.

A loan to a buyer for the remaining balance on a seller's first mortgage and an additional amount requested by the seller. Payments on both loans are made to the lender who holds the wraparound loan.

Curved plastic covers designed to be installed on top of a window well to cover the opening.

A curved, corrugated steel insert used to isolate basement windows from moisture if they're below the soil line.

A bench built under an interior window.

An individual pane of glass.

The most basic legal document outlining the disposition of a person's estate in the event of death.

An improperly recorded deed.

Watery areas such as swamps, marshes and floodplains.

A legally binding promise to do something in the future.

A buyer's final inspection of the home to determine if conditions in the purchase agreement have been satisfied.

A feature that allows a door to open onto ground level.

A voluntary relinquishing of certain rights or claims.

Wood paneling, tongue-and-groove boards or similar material installed between a baseboard and a chair rail.

A lien that a homeowner willingly gives to a lender.

Wood windows sheathed in vinyl on the outside.

An architectural style that dates from the mid-19th century.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs operates a variety of programs to help veterans. One of the key plans it oversees is the VA loan program, which allows most veterans to purchase a house without a down payment.

A small entrance hall or room.

Part of the loan process, in which a lender asks the borrower's employer for confirmation of the borrower's position and salary.

Part of the loan process, in which a lender will ask a borrower's bank to sign a statement verifying the borrower's account balances and history.

An elongated half-cylinder that arches above the floor.

A loan with an interest rate that hinges on factors such as the rate paid on bank certificates and Treasury bills.

An interest rate that changes with fluctuations in such indexes as the U.S. Treasury bill index.

A loan rate that moves up and down based on factors including changes in the rate paid on bank certificates of deposit or Treasury bills.

A program that allows most veterans to purchase a house without a down payment.

A reference to illegally excessive interest charged on any loan.

The unplanned expansion of development over a large area.

The process in which a property is zoned from a lower to a higher use.

Options than the standard carpeting, lighting, finish carpentry and other amenities offered to all buyers in a new-home project.

Any loan that is not backed by collateral.

An unrecorded deed transfers ownership from one party to another without being officially recorded.

An unidentified marital partner who can claim the right to a piece of property.

A person who claims the right to a piece of property after the death of an owner without a will.

The process that lenders go through to evaluate the risks posed by a particular borrower and to set appropriate conditions for the loan.

A layer of wood between the subfloor and the floor.

A federal agency that oversees the Federal Housing Administration and a variety of housing and community development programs.

An adjustable mortgage with two interest rates, one for the first five or seven years of the loan, and the other for the remainder of the loan term.

A piece of property that is owned by one person but provides housing for up to four households.

The process of removing old mortar from between bricks and replacing it with new mortar.

A federal law that protects consumers in a variety of ways. One of its key provisions allows a consumer to cancel a home-improvement loan, second mortgage or other loan if the home was pledged as security (except for a first mortgage or first trust deed)

A legally empowered person who holds or controls a piece of property for another person.

Special accounts used by brokers and escrow agents to safeguard funds for a buyer or seller.

A prefabricated framework of girders, struts and other items used to support a roof or other load-bearing elements.

The finishing of doors, doorways, window frames and floors.

A decorative landscape structure made of thin strips of wood or plastic.

An index used to determine interest rate changes for adjustable rate mortgages.

Securities issued by the Treasury Department that have the full backing of the U.S. government.