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
in masonry, the stones or bricks that are laid cross ways on a wall providing support to the horizontal stretcher bricks. The ends of the header bricks are visible in the wall. A beam ...
Real estate not subject to property tax such as that owned by nonprofit entities including charitable, governmental, religious institutions. ...
Used to indicate what is included in a monthly payment on rental property. If the payment includes only principal and interest, property taxes, and hazard insurance would make the total ...
A listing of all assets a person or business owns, their cost, and appraised value. A complete inventory record should be maintained including real estate. Documentation is needed in the ...
Same as term deed of trust: A document that conveys title to a neutral third party (trustee) during the period in which the mortgage loan is outstanding as collateral for a debt. ...
Insurance contract providing coverage for risks primarily associated with negligence and acts of omission associated with third-party injuries or property losses. Property and casualty ...
Supplementary narrow pathway, such as to a building. ...
Joining together of two or more business entities or persons in order to undertake a specific business venture in a real estate. A joint venture is not a continuing relationship such as a ...
Codes are all around us, determining the logical flow of various events and processes. In the cycle of actions and consequences, codes are used as guidelines. The most commonly known codes ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.