Real Estate Glossary - Letter B
- Back fill — Soil used to solidify the foundation of a structure.
- Back title letter — A letter that a title insurance company gives to an attorney who then examines the title for insurance purposes.
- Back-to-back escrow — Arrangements that an owner makes to oversee the sale of one property and the purchase of another at the same time.
- Backup offer — A secondary bid for a property that the seller will accept if the first offer fails.
- Backwater valve — A valve in a sewer line that prevents sewage from flowing back into a house.
- Balance sheet — A statement that shows the assets, liabilities and net worth of an individual.
- Balloon-frame construction — A type of framing used in two-story homes in which studs extend from the ground to the ceiling of the second floor.
- Balloon loan — A mortgage in which monthly installments are not large enough to repay the loan by the end of the term. As a result, the final payment due is the lump sum of the remaining principal.
- Balloon payment — The final lump sum payment due at the end of a balloon mortgage.
- Balustrade — Railing held up by a set of posts on a porch or stairway.
- Bankruptcy — A proceeding in which an insolvent debtor can obtain relief from payment of certain obligations. Bankruptcies remain on a credit record for seven years and can severely limit a person's ability to borrow.
- Bargain sale — The sale of a piece of property for less than market value.
- Baseboard — Any board or molding found at the bottom of an interior wall.
- Baseboard electric heat — Heating units installed in the floor that can be controlled by a central thermostat.
- Basement — The area of a home below ground level.
- Basis Point — A basis point is one one-hundredth of one percentage point. For example, the difference between a loan at 8.25 percent and a mortgage at 8.37 percent is 12 basis points.
- Bay — The opening between two columns or walls that forms a space.
- Bay window — A window that projects outward in a curve.
- Bearing wall — A wall that supports its own weight in addition to other parts of a structure.
- Beneficiary — The lender who makes a loan, also called a mortgagee. The person borrowing money is the mortgagor.
- Before-tax income — Total income before taxes are deducted.
- Bequest — Personal property given to a person through a will.
- Betterment — An improvement that increases a property's value as opposed to repairs that maintain the value.
- Bidding war — Offers from multiple buyers for a piece of property. Agents also sometimes compete to list a house for sale.
- Bilateral contract — A contract in which the parties involved give mutual promises. Also called "reciprocal" contracts.
- Bill of sale A document that transfers ownership of personal property. —
- Binder — A report issued by a title insurance company that details the condition of a home's title. and provides guidelines for a title insurance policy.
- Biweekly mortgage — A mortgage that requires payments every two weeks and helps repay the loan over a shorter term.
- Blanket insurance policy — A policy that covers more than one person or piece of property.
- Blanket mortgage — A mortgage that covers more than one property owned by the same borrower.
- Blighted area — A neighborhood that has deteriorated.
- Blind nailing — Nails driven into a wall and concealed with putty.
- Blueprint —
- Blue-ribbon condition — A house maintained close to its original condition. Also called mint condition.
- Blue sky laws — Regulations on the sale of securities to prevent consumers from investing in fraudulent or high-risk companies without being informed of the risks.
- Board-and-batten siding — Siding is composed of 8- to 12-inch wide wooden boards nailed vertically to create a barn-like exterior.
- Board foot — Measurement of lumber that is the equivalent of 144 cubic inches.
- Board of Equalization — A state board charged with ensuring that local property taxes are assessed in a uniform manner.
- Boilerplate — Form language used in deeds, mortgages and other documents. Details can be added by individual parties.
- Bona fide — A legal term that refers to actions or persons that are honest and in good faith.
- Bond — An agreement that insures one party against loss by acts or defaults of another party.
- Book value — The value of a property as a capital asset based on its cost plus any additions, minus depreciation.
- Boring test — An analysis of soil in which holes are bored into the ground and samples are removed.
- Borough — A section of a city that has authority over local matters.
- Borrow — Sand, gravel or other material used for grading.
- Borrow pit — The hole at a site that has been excavated.
- Boulevard — A street lined with trees or constructed with a landscaped median.
- Boundary — The dividing line between two adjacent properties.
- Braced framing — A construction method in two-story homes in which the frame is reinforced with posts and braces.
- Breach of contract — The failure to perform provisions of a contractwithout a legal excuse.
- Breach of covenant — The failure to obey a legal agreement.
- Breach of warranty — A seller's inability to pass clear title to a buyer.
- Break-even point — The point in which the owner's rental income matches expenses and debt.
- Breast height — The height at which the diameter of a tree is measured: four feet, six inches above the ground.
- Breezeway — A roofed passageway with open sides.
- Brick — Building material made from clay molded into oblong blocks and fired in a kiln.
- Bridge loan — A short-term loan for borrowers who need more time to find permanent financing.
- Brokerage — The act of bringing together two or more parties in exchange for a fee or commission.
- Broker — A person licensed by the state to deal in real estate.
- Broom clean — The ideal condition of a building when it is turned over to an owner or tenant.
- Brownstone — A vintage row house constructed of red sandstone.
- Buffer strip — A parcel of land that separates two or more properties.
- Building and loan association — An organization that raises money to helps its members purchase real estate or construct a building.
- Building code — A comprehensive set of laws that controls the construction or remodeling of a home or other structure.
- Building inspector — A city or county employee who enforces the building code and ensures that work is correctly performed.
- Building moratorium — A halt on home construction to slow the rate of development.
- Building paper — A thick, water-resistant paper that serves as insulation.
- Building permit — A permit issued by a local government agency that allows the construction of home or renovation of a house.
- Builder upgrades — Extra house features or better finishing materials that a builder offers.
- Building line or setback — Guidelines that limit how close an owner can build to the street or an adjacent property.
- Building restrictions — Regulations that limit the manner in which property can be used.
- Built-ins — Appliances or other items that are framed into a home or permanently attached.
- Bulkhead — A retaining wall designed to hold back water from the ocean or another body of water.
- Bundle of rights — The various interests or rights an owner has in a property.
- Bungalow — A small one-story house or cottage.
- Butterfly roof — A roof formed by two gables that dip in the middle to resemble a butterfly's wings.
- Buy-down mortgage — A home loan in which the lender receives a premium as an inducement to reduce the interest rate during the early years of the mortgage.
- Buyer broker — A real estate broker who exclusively represents the buyer's interests in a transaction and whose commission is paid by the buyer rather than the seller.
- Buyer's market — A slow real estate market in which buyers have the advantage.
- Buyer's remorse — An emotion felt by first-time homebuyers after signing a sales contract or closing the purchase of a house.
- Bylaws — The rules and regulations that a homeowners association or corporation adopts to govern activities.