glossary

GLOSSARY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Condominium conversion

When an individual changes the ownership from that of an exisitng project which is often a rental one to the condominium form of ownership.\n\nSee further Condominium

Condotel

A condotel is a residential complex of individually owned units that are rented out as vacation properties or hotel rooms. Condotels have the amenities of a hotel, such as a registration desk and daily cleaning service. Owners have the option to earn rental income by placing their unit in the hotel program.

Conduit borrower

A conduit borrower acts an intermediary for another borrower that doesn't meet the credit qualifications of a lender. The conduit borrower takes out the loan and then relends the funds to the second borrower, usually at a profit.

Confirmation

A confirmation is a formal affirmation of an agreement. In investing, completed buy and sell transactions are documented with confirmations, which specify the date of the trade and the price, fees, and settlement terms.

Conforming loan

A conforming loan is a proposed debt facility that meets the lender's standards. Such standards might specify the collateral, the borrower's qualifications, the loan amount, and the repayment terms. Pertaining to real estate loans, conforming mortgages are those that meet federal standards. These loans are eligible for resale to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

Conforming loan limit

A conforming loan limit is a cap on the dollar amount of a loan. Specific to mortgages, the conforming loan limit is an amount set annually by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO). Loans made in excess of the limit are called jumbo loans, and aren't eligible for repurchase or guarantee by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Conforming mortgage

A conforming mortgage meets the requirements to be eligible for purchase or securitization by one of the government-sponsored enterprises such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. These requirements include the size of the loan, type and age. These requirements change from year to year and vary by state.

Consent judgment

A consent judgment is a binding agreement between two parties of a lawsuit that's made prior to the completion of litigation. Once a judge approves the agreement, the terms of it are legally enforceable.

Conservative investing

Conservative investing describes a strategy for purchasing securities that exposes the portfolio to as little risk as possible. Conservative investing might involve the purchase of income securities, such as Treasury bonds, or money market funds. This strategy can be implemented to preserve the value of the portfolio against inflation, but will not produce significant growth.

Conservatorship

Conservatorship describes the relationship between one person who's unable to make legally binding decisions. and another person who's been appointed to manage the first person's affairs. The appointed person is called the conservator.

Consideration

Consideration is something that has value, such as money, property, or services. The term is normally used in reference to a sales contract, where one party provides consideration in return for the item or property purchased.

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act - COBRA

Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA, is federal legislation giving qualified former employees the right to continue their health coverage under a former employer's group health plan for 18 months. The term COBRA refers either to the legislation itself, or to the actual health plan (as in COBRA insurance).

Consolidation loan

A consolidation loan is a debt facility that pays off and replaces several smaller debts. Debtors would consolidate their debts to lower their monthly payment burden and overall interest rate. Consolidation loans are also called debt consolidation loans.

Constant proportion portfolio insurance - CPPI

Constant proportion portfolio insurance, or CPPI, is a type of security derivative that guarantees invested funds. The trader or option writer purchases a zero-coupon bond, and uses that to guarantee the invested capital. A dynamic trading strategy is then employed that allocates the investor's funds into two asset classes: a risky asset, and a risk-free asset. The proportion in which the funds are invested is determined by applying a risk multiplier to the difference between the total value and the guaranteed value (or floor). The account is periodically rebalanced, so that (ideally) over time, the account value grows, and more money flows into the riskier asset.

Constitution by laws

Constitution by laws are the rules which govern an organization, homeowners' association, or corporation.