Unimproved property is land without significant buildings, structures, development, or site preparation. In essence, it is a raw piece of land.

An assumption occurs when a Buyer agrees to take responsibility for an existing mortgage on the property they are purchasing. Before taking this option you may wish to speak to the mortgagor to determine if this is the best course of action for both parties.

In Minnesota, a Certificate of Value is filed with a real estate transfer to provide the financial terms of the property transfer, which is used in the administration of the state education aid formulas.

In Hawaii, all documents evidencing real estate transfers that are submitted for recording must be accompanied by a conveyance tax certificate. This form provides the Bureau of Conveyances with information concerning the grantor, the grantee, the property, the consideration and the financing terms.

The closing date is the date on which the Seller of a property delivers the deed and the buyer pays for it and can take possession of the house. Closing dates are typically 30, 60, or 90 days after the contract is signed. For people who are financing the purchase through a mortgage, you should ensure that the closing date will occur before the mortgage commitment letter expires.

In Iowa, this document is filed when the real estate transfer is filed with the county recorder. The Declaration of Value states the total consideration given by the Buyer to the Seller for the property.

Earnest money is the deposit that the Buyer is required to provide to the Seller up front, in order to convey that the Buyer is serious about purchasing the property. It is the cash deposit paid by the prospective Buyer to the Seller, as evidence of good faith to complete the purchase transaction. This deposit will be credited to the sales price upon closing but will be forfeited if the Buyer defaults. It ensures that the Buyer is serious about obtaining the necessary financing and fulfilling the other conditions necessary to purchase the house. Without earnest money, some buyers may not use their best efforts to obtain financing and may still be looking for a better deal on other houses. Often, if the Buyer does not proceed with the transaction, the Seller can keep the earnest money as damages.

The effective date is the date the contract comes into effect. It is the day that both parties sign the contract, or if the parties are signing on different days, the date the last party signs the contract.

An environmental assessment report is created by an environmental specialist who examines the property to determine if there are any characteristics of the property that are having a negative environmental impact on the property. For example, this report would inform the Buyer if there were any underground storage tanks on the property that were leaking a contaminant into the soil.

Escrow refers to the situation where property is held by a neutral third party (the escrow agent) until closing (when all the terms of the contract have been satisfied). At closing, this third party transfers title of the property to the Buyer.

An escrow agent is an independent third party who holds property in trust pending completion of the terms of the Agreement. They are responsible for collecting payments from the Purchaser and giving those payments to the Seller. An escrow agent is administratively convenient for all parties to a sale transaction as they handle all funds, bills and documents relating to the sale transaction. Both the Seller and the Purchaser can give the escrow agent instructions - for example, if the Seller has failed to perform one of their obligations under the Agreement, the Purchaser can have the funds necessary to fulfill that obligation withheld from the Seller out of their monthly payment.

The FHA provides housing mortgage loan insurance to qualified applicants who get loans from certified lenders, guaranteeing the mortgage in the event of a default by the Buyer. The program allows those who typically would not be able to afford a mortgage to qualify for one because the FHA will pay the mortgage in the event of a default. The FHA assists those with poor credit history, those who cannot afford much of a down payment, and others who for one reason or another are unlikely to obtain a mortgage from a regular mortgage broker.

Fixtures are items of personal property that have been attached to land or buildings in such a way that they cannot be removed without damaging the item, land or building. As a Seller, you may choose to exclude some fixtures because they have sentimental value, if they are hard to replace, or for some other reason. Examples of fixtures usually include chandeliers, custom-made drapes, window blinds, built-in appliances, built-in cupboards, light fittings, and wall-to-wall carpeting.

A general warranty deed is the document that is recorded at the county recorder's office which actually conveys title to real estate from the Seller to the Buyer. It contains a guarantee from the Seller that the Seller is entitled to sell the property, there are no outstanding encumbrances other than those listed on the deed, and the Seller will defend the Buyer against any claims brought against the property by individuals claiming to have a prior interest in it.

New Hampshire law requires all buyers of real estate to complete and file an Inventory of Property Transfer with the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration within 30 days of closing. It contains information relating to the circumstances of the sale, as well as the Buyer's opinion as to whether or not the purchase price reflected fair market value for the property.

The term "legal land description" refers to the format used in your jurisdiction to officially describe sections of land for the purpose of government records. The legal land description is how government records define the land that you have title to. In North America, most jurisdictions use a township and ranges system. The legal land description may may be conveyed in various ways with the most common way being a series of numbers, such as SW19-57-8-W5. Your legal land description may be found on your land title, in tax assessment information, and in your mortgage agreement. It is NOT your street address.

In California, this term is used to refer to new communities where a special tax is levied in order to help defray some of the costs of developing and maintaining the infrastructure of the community.

A promissory note is a legal document evidencing that the borrower will repay a loan to the lender under the terms agreed upon in the contract.

Most U.S. states collect a tax for every transfer of real estate that is registered. Some states also require additional documentation to accompany the payment of the real estate transfer tax.

A Real Estate Sales Validation Questionnaire is a form created by the Kansas Department of Revenue that is designed to help study the relationship between assessed and market values of property. It is required for real estate transactions involving land located in Kansas, unless the property qualifies for an exemption.

In Oklahoma, a Disclaimer Statement is used if the Seller has never occupied the property and makes no disclosure as to the condition of the property, or where the Seller has no actual knowledge of any defect. The Disclosure Statement is used where the Seller has occupied the property at some point in time, and the Seller is able to make disclosures as to the condition of the property.

A residential services contract is a contract from a home warranty company to maintain, repair or replace all or any part of the appliances, structural components, electrical, plumbing, heating, or air conditioning systems of residential property. The contract is usually for a period of 1 year.

The term "riparian" refers to bodies of water such as rivers and lakes which are located on or adjacent to property. The term "riparian matters" refers to legal rights that the property owner has in relation to such bodies of water.

In West Virginia, a Sales Listing Form must be completed and delivered to the tax commissioner for every transfer of real estate. It must contain information such as the tax map and parcel number of the property, the district or municipality in which the real property lies, the address of the property, the amount and form of consideration, and any other financing arrangements. It must also contain one of the following: a) the names of the grantor and grantee, and the deedbook and page number; b) the source of the grantor's title, if known; or c) a description of the property and the name of the person to whom real property taxes are assessed as set forth in the landbook prepared by the assessor.

Under Maine law, the Shoreland Zone is defined as land that falls within 250 feet of the normal high-water line of large bodies of water, within 250 feet of the upland edge of non-forested freshwater and coastal wetlands or within 75 feet of certain streams.

Soil remediation is the process of removing, reducing or neutralizing industrial soil and sediment contaminants that threaten human health and/or ecosystem productivity and integrity.

Specific performance is a court action to compel a contractual party to fulfill their obligations under the contract.

Prorations are expenses or benefits that are shared proportionately between the Buyer and the Seller.

In the context of homebuying, the term "tenancy at sufferance" refers to the situation where the owner of the property does not have possession. It can occur when the Seller retains possession after the deal has closed and title has been transferred to the Buyer, or where the Buyer receives possession before closing and the Seller still retains title to the Property.

Title insurance is a form of insurance in which the insurer agrees to indemnify the insured party for any loss suffered that results from a defect in the title to the property that was unknown to the buyer at the time of the sale. A title policy of insurance insures the homebuyer against any encumbrances that may affect the title to their property. The policy is required by most institutional lenders in order to get a mortgage and will pay the value of the mortgage in the event that there is a defect in the title that voids the buyers title to the property. It is an alternative to getting a municipal compliance certificate or real property report.

The Veterans Administration (VA) provides housing mortgage loan insurance to qualified applicants who get loans from certified lenders in the event of default by the home purchaser. The program allows those who typically would not be able to afford a mortgage to qualify for one because the VA will pay the mortgage in the event of a default.

A Well Disclosure Certificate is required to be attached to a deed in the state of Minnesota if the property being transferred contains new wells that were not listed on the previous Well Disclosure Certificate. This document does not need to be included with a deed if the property does not contain any wells, or if all of the wells have already been disclosed on a prior certificate.

This contract is used when there is an agreement to purchase a house. If you want to put an offer on a house and subject it to certain events such as selling your own home, then you should purchase an Offer to Purchase Agreement.

Real estate transactions are governed by the real property law of your state. Below are links to all the state legislation so you can get a better idea of the law.