Definition of "Marginal utility"

Additional utility an individual receives when purchasing an additional unit of a commodity or service. Represents a trade off between units of cost and unit of utility. For example, an individual builds a luxury home with a swimming pool. To build a tennis court would cost $50,000 and require yearly maintenance. To add two tennis courts is extremely low, the marginal utility of building the additional tennis court at $25,000 is not enough to offset the additional cost involved. However, if it cost only $5,000 to build the additional tennis court, then there may be sufficient marginal utility to justify its construction.

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

material placed on the outside surface of a structure such as aluminum or vinyl siding on a house. It is cost-efficient because it eliminates the need for repeated painting. Siding provides ...

Founded in 1930 and located in Centerville, UT, NARELLO has 700 members consisting of state administrators managing real estate licensing laws. It seeks to improve real estate licensing ...

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 ...

We all know what income is or what gross income means, but what is adjusted gross income? When a company calculates its income to determine their taxable income, they take the gross income ...

Regional area from which a particular product or service can expect its greatest demand. For example, a retail department store expects to attract shoppers from a market area having a ...

Owner has rights to water on his land. He also has a reasonable privilege to water adjacent to his property that flows through it or abutting it. ...

First right of a party, usually a creditor, to hold, keep possession of, or control the property of another to pay a debt, duty, or obligation. ...

Claude in a contract, title, or mortgage that is subject to being annulled, repealed, or revoked upon the satisfaction of a claim or completion of a future event. ...

Supplementary narrow pathway, such as to a building. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions