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

Main structural support beam. A girder is made of steel, reinforced concrete, or timber. It is designed to support loads at different points along its length. ...

Market Analysis in the Real Estate Market is basically research done concerning specific properties in relation to the overall current climate of the real estate industry. A good ...

Interest a person pays before it is actually incurred. An example is a one year's interest that a borrower agrees to pay in advance to a bank on a mortgage. This rarely occurs. ...

Land zoned for industrial use including manufacturing, factory office and warehouse space, research and development. ...

Visible area that can be readily seen by outside traffic. This is particularly important for a commercial business. ...

(1) Occupancy rate at which rental income of a property pays for operating expenses and debt service, leaving no residual cash flow. (2) The level of sales of a real estate business where ...

Owner of land allowing another to use space under the ground, such as to install a sewer or gas line. ...

Putting a waterproofing substance on the exterior cement walls of the structure to prevent water from entering the interior of structure. The cracks in the walls are patched up. ...

A clearly stated notice that an owner or operator will not assume responsibility for an inherent risk. For example, at a parking garage, a large notice of nonresponsability clearly states ...

Popular Real Estate Questions