| 4 | | A | | B | | C | | D | | E | | F | | G | | H | | I | | J | | K | | L | | M | | N | | O | | P | | Q | | R | | S | | T | | U | | V | | W | | Z | | ALL |
D |
| 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. |