Definition of "Penalty"

Amount to be paid by a person or business for violating a statute or legal court order. It may also be assessed for violating the provisions of a contract. Examples of penalties are a charge made by the Internal Revenue Service for underpaying corporate income taxes, penalty assessed by a municipality for failing to pay property taxes, penalty due to prepaying a mortgage, amount arising from breaking a real estate contract, and fee due from prematurely terminating a lease.

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

Flood insurance is a type of home insurance created to protect a homeowner’s property against damages caused by floods. Flood insurance is typically not included in the regular ...

Same as term plat book: Listing of all of the plats of subdivided plots in a jurisdiction showing the location, boundaries, and plat owners. A plat book normally shows other improvements ...

Limitation or prohibition such as on what a tenant in an apartment may not do. Local laws may also restrict certain actions such as failing to use the property for gambling purposes. ...

In real estate, a buffer zone refers to an area of land that acts as a transitional space between two different types of land use or properties. It’s like a neutral ground that ...

An iron pipe, stone, tree, or other fixed point used in making a survey. ...

A triangular shaped end of a building where a double sloped roof meets at the top of the triangle. A gable begins at the eaves of a roof and terminates at the roof ridge. ...

The real estate arbitration definition is an alternative way to settle disputes when the parties involved want to avoid a trial. There are some significant differences between an ...

A fixed asset whose utility is derived from its physical attachment to a property and which usually cannot value or damage. A fixture, under the terms of a lease or other agreement, can be ...

Nineteenth-century style home architecture featuring three dimensional ornamentation, made by hand using a chisel and gouge. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions