P & I – Principal and Interest. This refers to the principal and interest portions of the monthly mortgage payment.
P & L / Profit and Loss – A statement of a businesses gross income, cost of goods, operating costs and net profit or loss.
P.I.T.I. – Principal, interest, taxes and insurance. The complete monthly cost associated with financing a property.
P.U.D. – Planned Unit Development. Property owned as a group, where individuals own the specific piece of land and structure they occupy, but also have a divided interest in a common area. A board, often referred to as a Homeowners Association, will govern the development.
Piggy Back Loan – Financing obtained, subordinate to the first mortgage, to facilitate closing the first mortgage. Also known as a Secondary Financing.
PMI Private Mortgage Insurance – A way for lenders and the buyers to insure their exposure on the loan to no less than 20% equity in a property.
Points -A point is equal to one percent of the principal amount of a mortgage, see also Discount Points.
Power of Attorney – An authority by which one person enables another to act on his or her behalf. Power of attorney can be limited to specific areas or be general in some cases.
PRE-Approval – The Buyer has actually begun the application process and an underwriter has approved their income, funds and credit. Beware of any conditions on the approval.
Prelim. / Preliminary – Title Report The title report generated at the beginning of the application process. It tells the mortgage company what liens are on the property and gives advice as to what will need to be done to gain clear title prior to recording the trust deed.
Prepaid Interest Charge – The portion of interest, collected at loan closing, which covers the time period between funding and the beginning of the first 30-day period covered by the first payment. For example, if the loan closed on 2/15, the first payment due on 4/1 would pay interest from 3/1 to 4/1. The prepaid interest would cover the period from 2/15 to 2/28.
Prepaids – Expenses necessary to create an escrow account or to adjust the seller’s existing escrow account. Can include taxes, hazard insurance, private mortgage insurance and special assessments.
Prepayment Penalty (PPP) – Money charged for an early repayment of debt. Prepayment penalties are allowed in some form (but not necessarily imposed) in 36 states and the District of Columbia.
Prepayment – A privilege in a mortgage permitting the borrower to make payments in advance of their due date.
PRE-Qualified – Buyer has discussed their financial situation with a loan expert. No attempt has been made to verify the validity of any of the borrowers information. PRE-Qualification is only an indication of what the buyer should qualify for.
Principal – The amount of debt, not counting interest, left on a loan.
Private Mortgage Insurance – In the event that you do not have a 20 percent down payments, lenders will allow a smaller down payment-as low as 5 percent in some cases. With the smaller down payments loans, however, borrowers are usually required to carry private mortgage insurance. Private mortgage insurance will require an initial premium payment of 1.0 percent to 5.0 percent of your mortgage amount and may require an additional monthly fee depending on your loan’s structure. On a $75,000 house with a 10 percent down payments, this would mean either an initial premium payment of $2,025 to $3,375, or an initial premium of $675 to $1,130 combined with a monthly payment of $25 to $30. (PMI)
Purchase Agreement – The agreement made between the buyer and seller of a property, containing the purchase price and contingencies of the sale.
Quit Claim – A deed operating as a release; intended to pass any title, interest or claim, which the grantor may have in the property, but not containing any warranty of a valid interest or title in the grantor.
Rate Float – Assuming market risk on an interest rate in the hopes that it will go lower prior to closing.
Rate Lock – Choosing to have no change to a rate for a specific length of time.
Ratios – How a buyers housing expense and debt picture relates to their income.
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) – RESPA is a federal law that allows consumers to review information on known or estimated settlement costs once after application and once prior to or at settlement. The law requires lenders to furnish information after application only.
Realtor – A real estate broker or an associate holding active membership in a local real estate board affiliated with the National Association of Realtors.
Rescission – The cancellation of a contract. With respect to mortgage refinancing, the law that gives the homeowner three days to cancel a contract in some cases once it is signed if the transaction uses equity in the home as security.
Recon / Reconveyance – A release of lien filed with the county recorder by the trustee.
Recording – Fees Money paid to the lender for recording a home sale with the local authorities, thereby making it part of the public records.
REFI – Slang for refinance, or a new mortgage on a property that does not change ownership.
Request for Reconveyance – Verification given by the beneficiary to the trustee that the conditions of the lien have been fulfilled and request that the lien be canceled.
Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM) – A form of mortgage in which the lender makes periodic payments to the borrower using the borrower’s equity in the home as security.