• Panic peddling
The illegal practice of inducing panic selling in a neighborhood by making representations of the entry, or prospective entry, of members of a minority group; Blockbusting

• Party wall
Wall erected on line between adjoining properties for the use of both properties.

• Patio home
A single-family home that sits on a small lot, often with one outside wall of the structure sitting on the property line.  Patio homes have no common structural walls with adjoining properties, but their zero lot line wall may form part of their neighbors backyard fence/wall.  These properties often have a small back or side yard large enough for a patio or garden area.  Also known as a garden home.

• Percentage lease
Lease in which all or part of rental is a specified percentage of gross income from total sales made upon the premises.

• Person
An individual, a partnership, or a corporation, foreign or domestic.

• Personal property
Property which is tangible, movable, and not fixed to the land. Also called chattel and personality. Contrast with eal property.

• Personality
Personal property; chattel. Contrast with Realty.

• Physical deterioration
The loss of value to real property from all causes due to the action of the elements and old age. Physical deterioration can be either curable or incurable.

• PITI
Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance.

• Planned unit development (PUD)
In a PUD, the planned unit development association owns and maintains property in a real property development project for the benefit of its members, who are owners of individual parcels of real property in the development and are members of the association because of that ownership.  The level of services and fees are similar to a condominium complex, but since each owner has title to a specific parcel of land, lenders may treat units as non-condominiums.  This allows higher LTV loans and eliminates owner occupancy percentage requirements.

• Plat book
A record of recorded subdivisions of land.

• PMI
Acronym -  private mortgage insurance.

• Points
Fees paid to induce lenders to make mortgage loans at a particular interest rate. Each point is equal to one percent (1%) of the loan principal. Same as discount points.

• Police power
The authority of a government to adopt and enforce law governing the use of real estate based on the need to promote public safety, health, and general welfare.

• Power of attorney (POA)
A written authorization by a person to another person to act for him on his behalf.

• Prepayment
Paying off all or part of the mortgage before the scheduled date.

• Prepayment clause in a mortgage
Statement of the terms upon which the mortgagor (borrower) may pay the entire or stated amount on the mortgage principal at some time prior to the due date.

• Prepayment penalty
A fee paid to the lending institution for paying a loan prior to the scheduled maturity date.

• Primary mortgage market
Lenders who originate loans and makes funds available directly to the borrowers. Contrast with secondary mortgage market.

• Prime rate
The interest, or discount rate charged by a commercial bank to its largest and strongest customers.

• Principal
The amount of money owed to the lender not including interest.

• Principle of conformity
An appraisal principle which holds that the maximum value is realized when a reasonable degree of homogeneity (sameness) exists in a neighborhood.

• Private mortgage insurance (PMI)
Default insurance on conventional loans, normally insuring the top 20%-25% of the loan and not the whole loan.

• Promulgated contracts
The Texas Real Estate Commission has prepared and authorized various standard contracts which must be used by all licensees when acting as agents in real estate transactions with limited exceptions.

• Property taxes
Taxes that are paid yearly on real property.  Property taxes are ad valorem, based on the assessed value of the real property.  In Texas the assessed value is determined by the County Appraisal District.  Each taxing authority multiplies this appraised value by its annual tax rate.  Taxing authorities include local school districts, counties, cities, water districts(MUD's, PUD's, LID's, etc.), and other special tax districts.

• Pro-rate
To divide or distribute proportionally. At closing, various expenses such as taxes, insurance, interest, rents, etc. are prorated between the seller and buyer.

• Public Utility District (PUD)
A water district, created by a city or county, promoting development of a designated area by providing water and sewer services.  The PUD operates in the same manner as a Municipal Utility• y District, but is created by a local government, not a private developer.

• Puffing
Non-factual or extravagant statements and opinions made to enhance the perceived desirability of a property. The is a fine line between legal puffing and illegal misrepresentation, and puffing is best avoided. An example of puffing would be, "This home has the best view in the city". Also known as puffery

• Purchase offer
A document that lists the price, terms and conditions under which a buyer is willing to purchase a property.

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