Real Estate Law Dictionary

Legal Terms Used in the Law of Real Estate

Estates in Real Property

apt words
condition subsequent
defeasible estate
determinable fee
determine
esquire
estate (es·TATE)
estate pur autre vie (per OH·tra vee)
estate tail male
estate tail special (SPESH·el)
fee
fee simple absolute (SIM·pel ab·so·LOOT)
fee simple determinable (de·TER·min·e·bel)
fee simple estate (es·TATE)
fee tail estate (es·TATE)
freehold estate (FREE·hold es·TATE)
leasehold estate (LEESS·hold es·TATE)
life estate (es·TATE)
life tenant (TEN·ent)
possibility of reverter (pos·i·BIL·i·tee ov re·VERT·er)
real property (PROP·er·tee)
remainder interest (re·MANE·der IN·trest)
reversionary interest (re·VER·zhen·e·ree IN·trest)
revert (re·VERT)
waste

Multiple Ownership of Real Property

common areas (KOM·on AIR·ee·uz)
community property (kom·YOON·i·tee PROP·er·tee)
concurrent ownership (kon·KER·ent OH·ner·ship)
condominium (kon·de·MIN·ee·um)
condominium association (kon·de·MIN·ee·um a·so·see·AY·shun)
cooperative apartment (koh·OP·er·a·tive a·PART·ment)
co-ownership (koh-OH·ner·ship)
co-tenants (koh-TEN·entz)
creditors (KRED·et·ers)
interval ownership (IN·ter·vel OH·ner·ship)
joint tenancy (TEN·en·see)
joint tenancy with the right of survivorship (ser·VIVE·or·ship)
joint tenants (TEN·entz)
levy on execution (LEV·ee on ek·se·KYOO·shen)
master deed (MAS·ter deed)
moiety (MOY·e·tee)
partition (par·TI·shun)
proprietary lease (pro·PRY·e·ter·ee)
several (SEV·er·el)
tenancy by the entirety (TEN·en·see by the en·TY·re·tee)
tenancy in partnership (TEN·en·see in PART·ner·ship)
tenants in common (TEN·entz in KOM·on)
timesharing
unit deed (YOON·it)
units (YOON·its)
unity of interest (YOON·i·tee ov IN·trest)
unity of possession (YOON·i·tee ov po·SESH·en)
unity of time (YOON·i·tee)
unity of title (YOON·i·tee ov TY·tel)

Acquiring Title to Real Property

accretion (a·KREE·shun)
adverse possession (AD·verse po·SESH·en)
alluvion (a·LOO·vee·en)
attachment (a·TACH·ment)
convey (kon·VAY)
conveyance (kon·VAY·enss)
deed
disseised (di·SEEZD)
divested (dy·VEST·ed)
erosion (e·RO·shen)
foreclose (for·KLOZE)
infancy (IN·fen·see)
mortgagee (more·gej·EE)
mortgagee’s foreclosure sale (more·gej·EES for·KLOH·zher)
mortgagor (more·gej·OR)
record owner (REK·erd)
reliction (re·LIK·shun)
right of redemption (re·DEMP·shun)
seal
seisin (SEE·zin)
sheriff’s sale (SHERR·ifs)
tacking
vendee (ven·DEE)
vendor (ven·DOR)

Deeds

acknowledgment (ak·NAWL·ej·ment)
bargain and sale deed (BAR·gen)
base lines
bounds
conveyancing (kon·VAY·ens·ing)
covenant (KOV·e·nent)
deed
deed without covenants (KOV·e·nents)
encumbrance (en·KUM·brens)
fiduciary deed (fi·D00·she·air·ee)
full covenant and warranty deed (KOV·e·nent and WAR·en·tee)
general warranty deed (JEN·e·rel WAR·en·tee)
government survey system (GUV·ern·ment SUR·vey SYS·tem)
grantee (gran·TEE)
grantor (gran·TOR)
habendum clause (ha·BEN·dum)
heirlooms (AIR·looms)
hereditaments (herr·e·DIT·a·ments)
limited warranty deed (LIM·i·ted WAR·en·tee)
locus (LOH·kus)
locus sigilli (LOH·kus se·JIL·i)
meridians (mer·ID·ee·ens)
metes (meets)
metes and bounds
monuments (MON·yoo·ments)
plat
plat book
plat map
plot
quitclaim deed (KWIT·klame)
range (rainj)
rectangular survey system (rek·TANG·yoo·ler SUR·vey SYS·tem)
section (SEK·shun)
special warranty deed (SPESH·el WAR·en·tee)
tenements (TEN·e·mentz)
township (TOUN·ship)
tract of land (trakt)
warrant (WAR·ent)

Mortgages

acceleration clause (ak·sel·er·AH·shun)
balloon mortgage (ba·LOON MORE·gej)
common law theory of mortgages (KOM·on law THEE·ree ov MORE·ge·jes)
court of equity (EK·wi·tee)
deed of release (re·LEESS)
deed of trust
default (de·FAWLT)
defeasance clause (de·FEE·senz)
deficiency judgment (de·FISH·en·see JUJ·ment)
equitable theory of mortgages (EK·wit·a·bel THEE·ree ov MORE·ge·jes)
equity of redemption (EK·wi·tee ov re·DEMP·shun)
fixed-rate mortgage (fiksd-rate MORE·gej)
flexible-rate mortgage (FLEKS·i·belrate MORE·gej)
foreclose (for·KLOZE)
graduated-payment mortgage (GRAD·yoo·ay·ted MORE·gej)
junior mortgage (JOO·nyer MORE·gej)
lien (leen)
lien theory of mortgages (leen THEE·ree ov MORE·ge·jes)
mortgage (MORE·gej)
mortgage assignment (MORE·gej a·SINE·ment)
mortgage assumption (MORE·gej a·SUMP·shun)
mortgage deed (MORE·gej)
mortgage discharge (MORE·gej DIS·charj)
mortgagee (more·gej·EE)
mortgage take-over (MORE·gej)
mortgagor (more·gej·OR)
partial release (PAR·shell re·LEESS)
power of sale clause (POW·er)
promissory note (PROM·i·sore·ee)
redeem (re·DEEM)
right of redemption (rite ov re·DEMP·shun)
second mortgage (SEK·end MORE·gej)
security (se·KYOOR·i·tee)
title theory of mortgages (TY·tel THEE·ree ov MORE·ge·jes)
variable-rate mortgage (VAR·ee·a·bel-rate MORE·gej)

Recording System

abstract (AB·strakt)
abstract of title (AB·strakt ov TY·tel)
actual notice (AK·shoo·el NO·tiss)
chain of title (TY·tel)
clear title (TY·tel)
condemnation (kon·dem·NAY·shun)
constructive notice (kon·STRUK·tiv NO·tiss)
eminent domain (EM·i·nent doh·MAYN)
escrow (ES·krow)
et al. (et ahl)
et ux. (et uks)
folio (FO·lee·oh)
grantee index (gran·TEE IN·deks)
grantor index (gran·TOR IN·deks)
homestead rights (HOME·sted rites)
lis pendens (lis PEN·denz)
real estate closing (reel es·TATE KLOS·ing)
real estate settlement (reel es·TATE SET·el·ment)
record owner (REK·erd)
registered land (REJ·is·terd)
report (re·PORT)
rundown
title reference (TY·tel REF·e·renss)
title search (TY·tel)
Torrens system (TOR·enz SYS·tem)
volume (VOL·yoom)

Airspace and Water Rights

abutters (a·BUT·ers)
air rights
emblements (EM·ble·ments)
fructus industriales (FRUK·tes in·dus·tree·AL·es)
fructus naturales (FRUK·tes nach·er·AL·es)
great pond
lateral support (LAT·e·rel su·PORT)
littoral owners (LIT·o·rel OH·ners)
navigable airspace (NAV·i·ga·bel AIR·spays)
navigable stream (NAV·i·ga·bel)
percolating waters (PER·ko·late·ing)
prior appropriation doctrine (PRY·er a·pro·pree·AY·shun DOK·trin)
riparian owners (ry·PARE·ee·en OH·ners)
riparian rights doctrine (ry·PARE·ee·en rites DOK·trin)
small pond
subjacent support (sub·JAY·sent)
subterranean waters (sub·ter·AYN·ee·en)

Easements, Restrictions, and Zoning Regulations

appurtenant (a·PER·ten·ent)
bylaw
derogate (DEH·ro·gate)
dominant estate (DOM·i·nent es·TATE)
dominant tenement (DOM·i·nent TEN·e·ment)
easement (EEZ·ment)
easement appurtenant (EEZ·ment a·PER·ten·ent)
easement by prescription (EEZ·ment by pre·SKRIP·shun)
easement in gross (EEZ·ment in gross)
easement of necessity (EEZ·ment ov ne·SESS·e·tee)
grant
nonconforming use (non·kon·FORM·ing)
ordinance (OR·di·nense)
personal covenant (PER·son·al KOV·e·nent)
profit à prendre (PROF·et a PRAWN·dra)
reservation (rez·er·VAY·shun)
restrictions (re·STRIK·shuns)
restrictive covenants (re·STRIK·tiv KOV·e·nents)
right of way
servient estate (SER·vee·ent es·TATE)
servient tenement (SER·vee·ent TEN·e·ment)
tract (trakt)
usufruct (YOO·se·frukt)
usufructuary (yoo·se·FRUK·shoo·a·ree)
variance (VAR·ee·enss)
zoning

Landlord and Tenant

constructive eviction (kon·STRUK·tiv e·VIK·shun)
deed-poll (deed-pole)
demise (de·MIZE)
dispossessory warrant proceedings (dis·po·SESS·o·ree WAR·ent pro·SEED·ings)
ejectment (e·JEKT·ment)
eviction (e·VIK·shun)
forcible entry and detainer (FORSS·i·bel EN·tree and de·TAYN·er)
holdover tenant (HOLD·o·ver TEN·ent)
indenture (in·DEN·cher)
landlord
lease (leess)
leasehold estate (LEESS·hold es·TATE)
lessee (less·EE)
lessor (less·OR)
license (Ly·sense)
licensee (ly·sen·SEE)
periodic tenancy (peer·ee·ODD·ik TEN·en·see)
quiet enjoyment (KWY·et en·JOY·ment)
retaliatory eviction (re·TAL·ee·a·tore·ee e·VIK·shun)
sublease (SUB·leess)
summary ejectment (SUM·eree e·JEKT·ment)
summary process (SUM·e·ree PROSS·ess)
tenancy at will (TEN·en·see)
tenancy for years (TEN·en·see)
tenancy from year to year (TEN·en·see)
tenant (TEN·ent)
tenant at sufferance (TEN·ent at SUF·er·ense)
underlease
unlawful detainer
warranty of habitability

Real Estate Legal Dictionary