| N 
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| 
 
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| NAHI (National Association of Home 
Inspectors) A professional association of 
independent home inspectors whose members must meet the group's education and 
performance requirements. Call (800) 448-3942 for list of NAHI-certified 
inspectors in your area.
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| nail pops Nails in 
load-bearing parts of new homes that pop out slightly due to settling of the 
structure.
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| NAR (National Association of 
Realtors) A trade organization for real estate 
agents and brokers who become members by agreeing to abide by the organization's 
code of ethics. Members may call themselves Realtors.
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| NAR Code of Ethics A 
formal code of ethics and standards of practice established by the National 
Association of Realtors (NAR) and by which its members must 
abide.
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| National Association of Exclusive Buyer 
Agents National trade organization of buyer's 
brokers whose members do not accept property listings. Call (800) 986-2322 for 
information and referrals.
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| N 
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| National Association of Home Inspectors 
(NAHI)
 A professional association of 
independent home inspectors whose members must meet the group's education and 
performance requirements. Call (800) 448-3942 for list of NAHI-certified 
inspectors in your area.
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| National Association of Realtors 
(NAR) A trade organization for real estate 
agents and brokers who become members by agreeing to abide by the organization's 
code of ethics. Members may call themselves Realtors.
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| National Council of State Housing 
Agencies Nonprofit clearinghouse of information 
on local and state housing agencies. Consumers may call for names of agencies in 
their area. Phone: (202) 624-7710.
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| National Foundation for Consumer 
Credit Nonprofit clearinghouse of information 
on nonprofit credit counseling centers nationwide. Consumers may call for names 
of centers in their area. Phone: (301) 589-5600.
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| needs-based pricing An asking price based on factors such as the funds required to pay 
off the seller's mortgage, the cost of remodeling, or the purchase of another 
house.
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| negative amortization Occurs when a borrower's monthly payment is too small to cover both 
the principal and interest of a loan, so the outstanding balance of the loan 
actually grows larger with each payment. Many adjustable rate mortgages are 
susceptible to this.
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| N 
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| negative-slope driveway
 A driveway that drops from street level to the 
garage.
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| neo-traditional planning Planning of a community that favors new home development with such 
traditional features as grid-street patterns, prominent front porches, backyard 
garages, multi-use buildings, and housing clustered near commercial service 
areas.
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| net cash flow Income 
from an investment property after expenses such as principal, interest, taxes, 
and insurance are subtracted.
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| net listing A listing 
agreement in which the broker's commission consists of the amount above a net 
price set by the owner. If the net price is not met, a commission is not 
earned.
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| net worth The worth 
of a person or company based on the difference between total assets and 
liabilities.
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| neutral bus bar Grounded metal bar inside an electrical service panel or subpanel 
to which all neutral and grounding wires are connected.
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| N 
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| neutral wire
 A 
grounded conductor that carries electrical current back to the source from an 
electrical device. Neutral wires usually (but don't always) have white or gray 
insulation.
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| new urbanism A 
community design philosophy that favors the return of new home development with 
such traditional features as prominent front porches, backyard garages, 
multi-use buildings, and housing clustered near commercial service 
areas.
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| niche A small 
recessed area in a wall, traditionally arched at the top.
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| no-cash-out refinance The amount of the new mortgage covers the remaining balance of the 
first loan plus closing costs and any liens, and yields no more than 1 percent 
of the new loan's principal in cash.
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| no-competition lots A 
lot in which the buyer's home will be constructed by a preselected 
builder.
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| no-documentation loan A loan application that does not require verification of income but 
typically is granted in cases of large down payments.
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| N 
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| non-conforming loan
 A non-conforming loan is any loan that doesn't meet the 
qualifications or is too large to be purchased by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. The 
current conforming loan limit is $252,700.
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| non-liquid asset An 
asset such as a house that is not easily turned into cash.
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| non-solicitation order An order issued by the secretary of state to brokers and agents, 
prohibiting them from soliciting listings in a designated area.
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| nonassumption clause A loan provision that prohibits the transfer of a mortgage to 
another borrower without lender approval.
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| nonrecurring closing costs One-time-only fees for items including an appraisal, loan points, 
credit report, title insurance, and home inspection.
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| nosing The front edge 
of a stair tread that extends over the riser.
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| N 
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| not in my back yard (NIMBY)
 A response sometimes given by neighborhoods and communities to 
proposed changes or development.
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| note A legal document 
that requires a borrower to repay a mortgage at a certain interest rate over a 
specified period of time.
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| note rate The 
interest rate specified in a mortgage note.
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| notice of default A 
lender's initial action when a mortgage payment is late and attempts to 
reconcile the issue out of court have failed.
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| novation A release of 
liability to the first borrower of a loan, and the substitution of a subsequent 
borrower with the lender's approval.
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