A payment that is less than the agreed upon
monthly payment on a loan
Partition
The forced dividing of real estate among parties
who were previously its co-owners
Patent
A first in a series of documents by which the
federal or state government transfers ownership of public lands to an
individual
Pay-off amount
The total balance on an existing loan or
mortgage
Percolation test
A testing of the soil on a property to evaluate
if its absorption and drainage capacity will allow installation of a septic
system
Personal property
Property that does not qualify as real
property
PITI
Acronym for principal, interest, taxes and
insurance, the four components of a monthly mortgage payment, which are taken
into account when a lender is evaluating a borrower's financial qualifications
for a loan
Plat, or Plot
A map showing a piece of land subdivided into
lots, streets and common area, if applicable
P.M.I, or Private Mortgage
Insurance
Acronym for Private Mortgage Insurance, see
below
Point
A one-time fee charged by the lender for
originating a loan, one point being equal to one percent of the amount of the
mortgage
Power of attorney
A written legal document authorizing a person to
act as agent for another, to the extent outlined in the
document
Power of Sale
A provision in a will, mortgage or trust
agreement authorizing the sale or transfer of land in accordance with the terms
of the provision
Pre-Approval
A commitment from a lender to loan a certain
amount of money to a buyer at a designated interest rate and for a specified
period of time, which gives the buyer an advantage in competing to purchase
real estate or a home
Preforeclosure sale
The sale of a property by a mortgagor for less
than the amount owed to the lender of the mortgage for the property, thereby
allowing the mortgagor to avoid foreclosure, and done with the approval of the
lender
Prepayment penalty
A fee that is charged by the lender to a
borrower who pays off a loan earlier than the due date, thereby costing the
lender interest and other income from charges
Pre-qualification
The process by which the amount of loan a
prospective buyer will be eligible to borrow is determined, based on his or her
income and expenses, which can be used to demonstrate the buyer's financial
capability to the seller
Prime rate
The most favorable interest rate that banks
charge, usually to their preferred customers
Principal
The amount borrowed, not including interest or
other charges
Principal balance
The portion of the original amount borrowed that
is due on a loan or mortgage at any point in time
Private mortgage insurance, or
P.M.I.
A policy that insures that the lender will
recover a specific percentage of the loan amount from the insurance company in
the event that the borrower defaults; is not backed by any government agency;
is usually required when a down payment of less than 20% is put on real estate
or a home purchased
Probate
The court proceedings to prove that a will is
valid
Procuring cause
The action or person who brings about the
desired result; e.g., under an open listing, the broker who brings in the buyer
who actually purchases the property
Promissory note
A written promise to pay a specified amount of
money in a designated period of time, which is also transferable to a third
party
Prorate
To divide the proportionate share of existing
expenses on a piece of property between the seller and buyer, e.g., taxes owed
at the time of a transfer of title from the seller to the buyer
PUD (Planned Unit
Development)
A multi-unit property or subdivision that
includes common property that is owned and maintained by a homeowners'
association, for the use of the individual owners
Purchase and sale
agreement
A written contract signed by the buyer and
seller that states the conditions under which a property will be transferred or
sold
Purchase money mortgage
An agreement whereby financing provided by the
seller is included in the purchase price
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