A form of ownership or taking title to property which means each party owns the whole property and that ownership is not separate. In the event of the death of one party, the survivor owns the property in its entirety.

Insurance that compensates for physical property damage resulting from flooding. It is required for properties located in federally designated flood areas.

A type of ownership in real property where all of the owners own the property, common areas and buildings together, with the exception of the interior of the unit to which they have title. Often mistakenly referred to as a type of construction or development, it actually refers to the […]

Transfer tax is a transaction fee charged upon the transfer of a property’s title. It is imposed by the state, county, and municipal authority where the transaction is taking place and is based on the property’s value and classification. Typically, the seller is responsible for paying real estate transfer tax, unless […]

A quitclaim deed is a document transferring ownership of property from one party to another. It transfers the title of the property — but only transfers what the seller actually owns. If two people own a home jointly, one person could only transfer their half of the property via quitclaim. This type […]

A property lien is unpaid debt on a piece of property. It’s a legal notice and denotes legal action taken by a lender to recover the debt they are owed. It can come from unpaid taxes, a court judgement, or unpaid bills and can slow down the homebuying process when unattended.

If a homeowner doesn’t make a mortgage payment (usually, for more than 90 days), foreclosure is a legal process during which the owner forfeits all property rights. If they are unable to pay off outstanding debt on the property or sell it via short sale, the property enters a foreclosure auction. If […]

Community property refers to property acquired by a married couple and owned equally by both spouses.