Definition of "Ability to pay"

The ability to pay is a self-explanatory term used in Real Estate to determine if the Home Buyer has the financial health to honor a deal.

Mortgage Lenders can't afford to lend out money to whoever they like; they need to know if the borrower is able to pay the loan back. There are several calculations done to assert a home buyer's (or a borrower's) ability to pay, and the debt-to-income ratio calculation and the credit score evaluation are the most famous ones.

In many ways, it was the lack of attention to this economic principle on the Lender's part that led the country and, especially, the business into the "Great Recession" of 2008. Both lenders and borrowers didn't care about the ability to pay and suddenly no one was paying for the loans anymore. Lots of foreclosed homes and the rest is History... and we hope it stays like this: History!

Real Estate Tips:
Test your ability to learn by continuingly searching terms on our Real Estate Glossary!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Rear lining of chimney. An acceptable chimney back lining can be achieved by plastering the interior surfaces of the chimney. A better alternative, however, is a manufactured lining of ...

The construction of a highway right way over a privately held parcel of land. Property owners are entitled to compensation for the value of the property usurped by a highway easement. See ...

Map presented to a municipality's planning agency by a real estate developer for consideration and approval. ...

The term effective interest rate is the actual return from a savings account or any investment where you pay interest when considering the effects of compounding costs over time. Through an ...

A married partner. Property may be jointly held by spouses. ...

The accrued interest definition can be explained through the interest collected by a set date on financial obligations that were not paid out. As interest can be of two types, so does ...

Counter action by a defendant against a plaintiff. It is an independent action and just a denial of plaintiff's action. ...

An agreement allowing occupancy of a premises for a stated period of time provided certain terms are met. A limited occupancy agreement is most frequently used when a prospective buyer is ...

Buyer who is acting in good faith, is not aware of any outstanding claims or rights of others to the property, and has given valuable consideration as part of the business transaction. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions