account balance – The available amount of money in your account.
annual fee–The amount charged by the lender each year to cover the service costs.
application – A standardised form used to apply for a loan and to record relevant information about the prospective borrower.
appraisal – A written analysis of the estimated value of an item or property.
appreciation – An increase in the value of an asset due to changes in the economic and other conditions, ie – inflation.
asset – Anything valuable owned by an individual that generates income.
bad credit – The negative credit rating which appears when the debtor fails to make repayments, which in turn makes it harder for them to obtain new loans.
bad debt – A debt that is not collectible and is therefore worthless to the creditor.
bankrupt – A person or institution’s condition of being unable to repay the debts they owe to creditors.
business loan – A loan granted to fund a business and it’s proceedings.
budget – A detailed plan of income and expenses over a defined period of time in order to manage costs and profits.
cash advance – A quick loan received from a credit provider or lending institute.
collateral – A borrower’s pledge of their property as security for a debt.
commercial loan – A loan used to finance a company’s expansion, its projects or its working capital needs.
construction loan – A loan used to finance the cost of construction.
contract – An oral or written binding agreement between two or more parties.
conveyancing – A legal process of transferring ownership of property from one person to another or the seller to the buyer.
credit – An agreement which allows a borrower to receive something of value in exchange for a promise to repay the lender at a later date.
credit card – A card that allows you to buy goods, services and obtain cash advances on credit with the promise to make repayments later.
credit report – A report of a person’s past history from a credit bureau used that can be made available to a lender to determine a loan applicant’s worthiness.
debit – When money is taken out of your account for something you’ve bought or to repay money you owe.
debt – The obligation of the borrower to repay the amount owed for the borrowed funds.
debt consolidation – The combination of multiple loans into a single loan, often at a lower periodic payment and interest rate.
default – Failure to make the required debt payment when it is due.
deposit – Money paid in good faith to assure the performance of a contract.
depreciation – A decline in the value of a personal property or item.
direct debit – A regular monetary payment of one or various amounts, to an individual or a company from your account with your consent.
EFTPOS – (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) An electronic payment system to buy goods and services using a fast cash savings, cheque or credit card.
equity – The difference between the market value and the outstanding mortgage balance on a home.
finance – The commercial activity of providing funds and capital.
first home owner grant scheme – (FHOG) One off $7000 minimum payment to eligible first home buyers.
fixed interest rate – An interest rate which remains fixed for the entire term of the loan.
grace period – The period of time in which you are not required to make payments on a debt which also does not create any defaults.
gross income – Your income before any tax or other deductions have been made.
home loan – An amount of money borrowed for a residential mortgage secured by a primary residence.
inflation – An increase in the value of goods or services available, causing a rise in the price level of such items.
installment – A scheduled payment that a borrower agrees to make to a lender on a regular basis.
insurance – A form of contract in which an individual or entity receives protection or compensation for specific losses in exchange for a periodic payment.
interest rate – The cost of borrowing money expressed often as a percentage of the amount borrowed.
investment – The money paid to purchase a capital asset or a fixed asset in the hope of generating income.
investment property – A property that is not occupied by the owner, usually purchased to generate profit.
jargon – The specialized language of a particular profession, used predominantly in contracts and official proceedings.
lender – A person or company that supply funds to borrowers.
liability – The debts or financial obligations of a person or company.
liquidate – When a company shuts down from being unable to pay off its debts, selling assets to the open market.
loan – Money that is borrowed and usually repaid with interest.
loan term – A lender’s agreement to make a loan on particular terms, including interest rate, fees and charges.
low doc loan – A loan requiring a lower level of verification documents.
mortgage – A legal document that pledges a borrower to pay back a property to the lender as security for the payment of a debt.
no doc loan – A loan requiring no documentation of verification.
occupancy rate – Percentage of units that are rented out in a building, neighbourhood, complex, or city.
owner finance – A property purchase transaction where the seller provides the financing if he or she is having difficulty selling the property.
personal loan – Money borrowed for personal reasons.
profit – The amount gained from an investment or business operation after expenses.
property – That which is legally owned by an individual or property.
purchase agreement – A written contract signed by the buyer and seller stating the terms and conditions under which a property will be sold.
quick cash – Fast and easy cash on hand and assets readily convertible to cash
rate – The annual interest on a loan, expressed as a percentage of 100.
refinance – When an individual or business revises a payment schedule to repay one or more existing mortgage loans with a new loan on better terms.
renovation loan – A loan used to make improvements to an existing property.
repayment plan – An arranged agreement between a lender and a borrower, made to help the borrower repay installments.
risk – The likelihood of loss or less than expected returns.
self employed – An individual who operates a business as the sole proprietor.
second mortgage – A loan taken after the first mortgage and is secured against the same assets as the first.
security – A negotiable financial instrument that represents some type of financial value that is pledged as collateral for a debt.
secured loan – A loan that is backed by collateral.
settlement – The time when loan and mortgage documents are formally signed and the loan transaction is completed.
short term loan – A loan scheduled to be repaid in less than a year.
sole ownership – Ownership of property by a single person or entity.
term – The period of time during which loan payments are made. At the end of the loan term, presumably the loan must be paid.
title – A legal, written instrument that details an individual’s lawful possession of a property.
trade equity – Equity from a buyer giving existing property as trade for all.
underwriting – The process of verifying data and approving a loan.
unsecured loan – A loan that is obtained without collateral.
variable rate – An interest rate that changes with the market.
warranty – A promise or guarantee of services contained in a contract.
write off – When a loan is not collectible.
yield – An income return received from an investment.
zone – An area reserved for specific limited use, often subject to restrictions or conditions.