Acceleration Clause
Definition of "Acceleration Clause"
Acceleration Clause is a contractual provision inserted in a mortgage, a bond, a deed of trust or other credit vehicles, that gives the lender the right to demand repayment of the entire loan balance. Usually, such a clause becomes operational when there has been a default in payments of interest or principal or both.
When the acceleration clause is activated, the entire principal sum is called in and becomes due and payable. This fact would precipitate a foreclosure in the case of real estate, or bankruptcy action if the monies were not paid at the time of the call.
Acceleration clauses are created to protect the lender from borrower default and other risks. It prevents/deals with payment delinquencies, but can, on rare occasions, be structured for other occurrences too.
Let's see an acceleration clause in effect scenario:
Home Seller Barbara makes a Land Contract with Home Buyer Paul. He started paying correctly and living in Barbara's former house. He has paid already $30,000 of its $100,000 contract. At the end of it, he'll be the owner of the house. BUT: he didn't pay for the last 3 months, so the acceleration clause kicked in, Barbara filed for a land contract forfeiture and now Paul has to pay the rest of the $70,000 with one swing if he wants to still be able to get the house. Or else, they're done.
Accelerate your home buying/home selling process: find a real estate agent
Popular Real Estate Terms
There’s a lot of confusion regarding the hazard insurance definition. Many people think it’s a synonym for homeowners insurance but they’re wrong. Hazard insurance is ...
Lender has an equity interest in the property that is the subject of the loan. The lender shares in the increase in market price of the property as well as any net income generated. ...
Owned by one individual or sole ownership. ...
Roof having two slopes or pitches on each side. The lower slope is greater than the upper slope. ...
Inappropriate and possibly harmful use of land. For example, a factory located on the shore of a river discharges toxic pollutants into the waterway. ...
Standard precut lumber sizes for lumber industry needs. The typical sizes are 2 to 5 inches thick by 5 to 12 inches wide. ...
Structure have two dwelling units under the same roof. Two-story apartment unit. ...
The definition of cooperative housing is well known by real estate agents because they are often involved in the selling process, in most cases. Cooperative housing is a form of ...
Determines the ability of soil to absorb and draw down water. A percolation test is essential to determine the location of a drainage field for waste disposal. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.