· 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 until it is sold or taken off the market
· Deadbolt
lock Locks that require a key to open from the
outside and a turn button from the inside.
· Debt Any
amount one person owes to another.
· Deck A
roofless, floored area that adjoins a house.
· 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 promise or discharge an
obligation, such as making monthly mortgage payments.
· 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.
· 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.
· Disability
insurance An insurance policy which 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 at the time
the lender makes the loan. A point equals 1 percent of
the total loan amount.
· Distressed
property Property that is in poor physical or
financial condition.
· Document
needs list A list of documents a lender
requires when a potential submits a loan application..
The required documents range from paycheck stubs to
credit card statements.
· 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.
· Dovetail
joints Joints that lock two pieces of wood
together with meshed teeth.
· Down
payment The amount of money a buyer agrees to
give the seller when a sales agreement is signed.
Complete financing is later secured with a lender.
· Down
spouts A vertical gutter that empties water
from the roof to the ground.
· Drainage A
system of gutters and drainpipes that carry water away
from the foundation of a house.
· Draw A
payment made to subcontractors or suppliers from a
construction loan.
· 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.
· Duct Any
kind of pipe or channel that carries water, wiring or
conditioned air through a house.
· 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.
· Dutch
colonial style A design that features barn-like
gambrel roof, a ground-level front porch, and dormers.
