D |
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damper A movable
plate in a fireplace that allows smoke and fumes to travel up the chimney's
flue. |
days on the market The period of time a property is listed for sale prior to being
sold or taken off the market. |
deadbolt lock A lock
that requires a key to open from the outside and a turn button from the
inside. |
debt Any amount one
person owes to another. |
debt assumption letter The formal transfer of debt from one party to another, backed by a
contract of assumption signed by both parties. Also known as assignment of
debt. |
D |
deck A roofless,
floored area that adjoins a house. |
decorating allowance An amount of money supplied by the seller and held in escrow for
the buyer, to be applied toward negotiated decorating changes. |
deed The legal
document that transfers ownership of a piece of property. |
deed of trust A
document that gives a lender the right to foreclose on a piece of property if
the borrower defaults on the loan. |
deep-seal floor drain A drain used to dispose of water from the basement floor to a sewer
line. |
default The failure
to fulfill a duty or discharge an obligation, such as making monthly mortgage
payments. |
D |
deferred maintenance Any repair or maintenance of a piece of property that has been
postponed, resulting in a decline in property value. |
delinquent mortgage A
mortgage that involves a borrower who is behind on payments. If the borrower
cannot bring the payments up to date within a specified number of days, the
lender may begin foreclosure proceedings. |
density test An
analysis of soil to determine if the surface can support the foundation of a
house. |
dentils Small
rectangular blocks that project from a building, usually under cornices or along
rooflines. |
deposit Money given
by the buyer with an offer to purchase property. Also called earnest
money. |
depreciation The
decline in value of a piece of property. |
D |
design/build A
project in which the owner contracts directly with an individual or company to
perform design and construction. |
designer Unlike
architects, designers are limited to drawing blueprints. |
digital images Images
that are incorporated into house listings to give potential buyers a view of the
property. |
dimension plans Plans
which show the layout of a house but are less detailed than full
blueprints. |
dimensional lumber Single pieces of lumber sawed to standard
dimensions. |
dimmer A light switch
that controls the brightness of one or more lights. Most allow a full range of
control from full off to full on. |
D |
dimple To create
a slight dent with a light blow of a hammer when driving a nail. This technique
is typically used when hanging drywall to provide a tiny pocket for receiving
drywall compound. |
dip tube An extension
of the water supply line into a storage tank. This delivers water close to the
heat source on the bottom of a water heater. |
disability insurance An insurance policy that covers an individual's ability to produce
income. |
disclosure A
statement to a potential buyer listing information relevant to a piece of
property, such as the presence of radon or lead paint. |
discount points Fees
that a borrower pays when the lender makes the loan, to get a lower interest
rate. Lenders offer various rate/point combinations, and borrowers pay points to
adjust the interest rate to the market rate. One point equals one percent of the
loan amount. |
distressed property Property that is in poor physical or financial
condition. |
D |
document needs list A list of documents a lender requires from a potential borrower
submitting a loan application. The required documents range from paycheck stubs
to credit card statements. |
documentation preparation A fee charged by the settlement agent (escrow company or attorney)
to ready the necessary paperwork for closing. |
domed ceiling A
hemispherical ceiling that projects upward without support. |
domicile A person's
primary or permanent home. |
dormer A window set
upright in a sloping roof. |
double-hung window A
window that consists of two sashes that slide up and down. |
D |
dovetail joints Joints that lock two pieces of wood together with meshed
teeth. |
dowel A length of
wood that is round in profile and made of hardwood (round lengths of softwood
are called rounds). |
dowel plug A short
piece of a wooden dowel typically fitted into a counterbored hole to hide the
head of a screw. |
down payment The
difference between purchase price and the portion of the purchase price financed
by a lender. Most lenders require that the down payment come from the buyer's
own funds, but may also allow gifts from relatives. |
downspout A vertical
gutter that empties water from the roof to the ground. |
drain auger Also
called a snake. A long, coiled-wire tool that you can unwind and push into a
drain line to free a clog. |
D |
drain flange The
round metal trim that fits into the hole at the bottom of a sink or bathtub. The
stopper or pop-up fits into this flange to retain water in the sink or
tub. |
drain valve A valve
used to drain a water storage tank in order to perform maintenance or
replacement. |
drainage A system of
gutters and drainpipes that carry water away from the foundation of a
house. |
drainpipe Part of a
home's plumbing system that carries waste to the sewer or septic system. Most
residential drainpipes are from 1½ to 4 inches in diameter. |
draw A payment made
to subcontractors or suppliers from a construction loan. |
drip caps Angled
strips of metal flashing that are designed to protect the eaves from water
damage. With an L-shaped profile, they tuck under the first course of shingles
and extend down over the fascia. |
D |
drip loop A loop
in the service conductor that minimizes the chance of water
penetration. |
dropped ceiling A
flat ceiling built lower than the original ceiling. |
dry rot A fungal
decay that causes wood to become brittle and crumble. |
drywall A
construction material composed of gypsum or plaster wrapped in paper and
produced in large sheets that can be nailed to wall studs. |
dual agency A
relationship in which a real estate agent or broker represents both parties in a
transaction. |
dual agent An agent
who represents both the buyer and the seller in a transaction. Some states
require strict disclosure of this arrangement to
consumers. |
D |
duct A rigid
metal or flexible insulated tube, designed to deliver air to and from a furnace
or other air-handling unit. |
duct Any kind of pipe
or channel that carries water, wiring, or conditioned air through a
house. |
ductwork A system of
large tubes, pipes, or channels (ducts) designed to deliver air to and from a
furnace or other air-handling unit. |
due-on-sale clause Standard language in a mortgage which states that the loan must be
paid when a house is sold. |
duplex A structure
that consists of two separate family units. |
duplex receptacle An
electrical outlet that accepts two lighting or appliance
plugs. |
D |
Dutch colonial style A design that features a barn-like gambrel roof, a ground-level
front porch, and dormers.
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