Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM): A type of mortgage loan where the interest rate adjusts over time based on an index. This can result in changes to the borrower's payment amount.

Amortization: The process of spreading out a loan into a series of fixed payments over time, where part of each payment goes toward the loan principal and part toward interest.

Appraisal: An expert estimate of the value of something, in the context of real estate, it's the professional valuation of a property. This is often used by lenders to determine the loan amount to offer on a property.

Appreciation: The increase in the value of a property over time due to various factors, including market conditions, inflation, or property improvements.

BRRRR Method: An investment strategy that stands for Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. This approach involves purchasing a property, renovating it, renting it out, refinancing it to take out equity, and then repeating the process with another property.

Capital Gains: The profit earned from the sale of a property that has increased in value over time.

Capitalization Rate (Cap Rate): A rate that helps in evaluating a real estate investment. Cap rate is calculated by dividing the property's net operating income (NOI) by its current market value.

Cash Flow: The net amount of cash and cash-equivalents being transferred into and out of a property. Positive cash flow indicates that a property's income exceeds its expenses.

Cash-on-Cash Return: A rate of return often used in real estate transactions, calculated by dividing the before-tax cash flow by the amount of cash invested in the property.

Depreciation: The process of expensing the cost of an asset over its useful life. In real estate, it refers to a tax deduction reflecting the expenses of buying and improving a rental property.

Distressed Property: Property that is under foreclosure or being sold by the lender. Often, these properties are below market value.

Due Diligence: The comprehensive appraisal of a property to establish its assets and liabilities and evaluate its profit potential before making a transaction.

Eminent Domain: The right of a government to seize private property for public use, with compensation to the owner. (This can sometimes be a good thing)

Equity: The difference between the current market value of a property and the amount the owner still owes on the mortgage. It represents the owner's stake in the property.

Escrow: An arrangement where a third party holds and regulates payment of the funds required for two parties involved in a given transaction. It helps make transactions more secure by keeping the payment in a secure escrow account which is only released when all of the terms of an agreement are met.

Fixed-Rate Mortgage: A mortgage with a fixed interest rate for the entire term of the loan, providing predictable monthly payments.

Foreclosure: The legal process by which a lender takes control of a property, evicts the homeowner, and sells the home after the homeowner fails to make full principal and interest payments on their mortgage.

Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM): A metric used to assess the value of an income-producing property, calculated by dividing the property's price by its gross rental income.

Hard Money Loan: A loan from a private lender based on the value of the property being purchased. These loans typically have higher interest rates than traditional bank loans and are often used for short-term financing. The upside to these loans is that they have less requirements than most banks do.

Inspection: A thorough examination of a property's condition, typically performed by a professional inspector before a sale. Inspections can identify potential problems or defects that could impact the value or safety of the property. I highly recommend getting a professional inspection performed every time, even though I have overseen countless of remodeling projects, I am still human and want a third opinion.

Leverage: The use of borrowed capital (debt) to increase the potential return of an investment.

Liquidity: The ease with which an asset, such as real estate, can be converted into cash without significantly affecting its market value. 

Loan-to-Value Ratio (LTV): A financial term used by lenders to express the ratio of a loan to the value of an asset purchased.

Net Operating Income (NOI): The total income generated by a property after operating expenses are subtracted, but before taxes and financing costs.

Pre-Approval: A lender's preliminary assessment of a buyer's ability to pay for a home, which states a specific loan amount based on credit, financial, and employment information.

Private Money Loan: Similar to hard money loans, these are loans provided by private individuals such as family, friends and even strangers. 
 

Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT): A company that owns, operates, or finances income-producing real estate. REITs offer a way to invest in real estate without having to own, operate, or finance properties directly.
 

Return on Investment (ROI): A measure used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment, calculated by dividing the profit of an investment by its cost.

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Short Sale: A real estate transaction for the sale of a property for an amount lower than the amount owed on the mortgage. It is often used as an alternative to foreclosure.

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Title Insurance: Insurance that protects real estate owners and lenders against any property loss or damage they might experience because of liens, encumbrances, or defects in the title to the property.

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Vacancy Rate: The percentage of all available units in a rental property, such as an apartment complex, that are vacant or unoccupied at a particular time.

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Zoning: Regulations governing the use of land and the types of structures that can be built on it, which can significantly impact property value and usage.

1031 Exchange: A swap of one investment property for another that allows capital gains taxes to be deferred, under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code. This is a pretty advanced concept, and I recommend consulting with a CPA or Tax attorney.