| Term |
Definition |
| Earnest money deposit |
A deposit made by the potential home buyer to show that he or she is serious about buying the house. |
| Easement |
A landowner can grant a second party the right to use land in a certain way. For example, if you need to cross your neighbor's property to access your garage, you would ask your neighbor to grant you an easement. Easements may restrict changes a buyer can make to a property. |
| EEM (Energy Efficient Mortgage) |
A program put in place to assist homebuyers in saving money on utility bills by financing the cost of adding energy efficiency features to their home as part of mortgage. |
| Effective age |
An appraiser's estimate of the physical condition of a building. The actual age of a building may be shorter or longer than its effective age. |
| Effective gross income |
Normal annual income including overtime that is regular or guaranteed. The income may be from more than one source. Salary is generally the principal source, but other income may qualify if it is significant and stable. |
| Eighty-ten-ten loan (80/10/10) |
See "combination loan." |
| Eminent domain |
When the government requires the use of private property, it must make it public property by giving the owner fair market value, and then continuing to condemnation proceedings. |
| Encroachment |
Any structure extending over the legal property line onto a different property. |
| Encumbrance |
Anything that affects or limits the fee simple title to a property, such as mortgages, leases, easements, or restrictions. |
| Endorser |
A person who signs ownership interest over to another party. Contrast with co-maker. |
| Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) |
A federal law that requires lenders and other creditors to make credit equally available without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, or receipt of income from public assistance programs. |
| Equity |
1. A homeowner's financial interest in a property. Equity is the difference between the fair market value of the property and the amount still owed on its mortgage.
2. The actual cash value of property after all claims against the property have been paid. |
| Escape clause |
A provision in a mortgage contract allowing either the borrower or the lender to cancel part or all of the purchase if the other does not respond to changes to the sale within a certain amount of time. |
| Escrow |
An item of value, money, or documents deposited with a third party to be delivered upon the fulfillment of a condition. For example, the deposit by a borrower with the lender of funds to pay taxes and insurance premiums when they become due, or the deposit of funds or documents with an attorney or escrow agent to be disbursed upon the closing of a sale of real estate. |
| Escrow account |
The account in which a mortgage servicer holds the borrower's escrow payments prior to paying property expenses. |
| Escrow analysis |
The periodic examination of escrow accounts to determine if current monthly deposits will provide sufficient funds to pay taxes, insurance, and other bills when due. |
| Escrow collections |
Funds collected by the servicer and set aside in an escrow account to pay the borrower's property taxes, mortgage insurance, and hazard insurance. |
| Escrow disbursements |
The use of escrow funds to pay real estate taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance, and other property expenses as they become due. |
| Escrow payment |
The portion of a mortgagor's monthly payment that is held by the servicer to pay for taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance, lease payments, and other items as they become due. Known as "impounds" or "reserves" in some states. |
| Estate |
The ownership interest of an individual in real property. The sum total of all the real property and personal property owned by an individual at time of death. |
| Eviction |
The lawful expulsion of an occupant from real property. |
| Examination of title |
The report on the title of a property from the public records or an abstract of the title. |
| Exclusive listing |
This written document allows a specific real-estate agent the right to sell a property for a specified amount of time. |
