Bilateral Contract
Definition of "Bilateral contract"
A bilateral contract is a pretty straightforward term. No horseplay there. It’s a legal agreement between two individuals who both agree to do (or not to do) a specific act.
The truth is that, when you think of the standard contract, you think of a bilateral contract. It’s one of those instances where one part of the term is so usual, it gets dropped out of the term, so people omit the “bilateral” and just say contract. In it, each party has its set of obligations; even if it’s party A does a service, party B pays for it. Or, more simple than that: if party A is responsible for giving money and party B for transferring the title to party A.
However, there are rare unilateral contracts where one party is under the obligation of giving a compensation should the other party perform a specific task, but the other party is not obligated to perform that task. In other words, when one party failing to perform a task is not considered a breach of contract, it’s not a bilateral contract but a unilateral.
An example of a bilateral contract in real estate is a regular property sale. The home seller is obligated to give the house and put it under the buyer’s name if the home buyer pays for the amount specified on the bilateral contract. Now, in an exclusive agency listing, what the real estate agent does with a home seller is not a bilateral contract but an unilateral contract because it specifies that the homeowner must pay a commission to that agent if the real estate agent brings the best deal for him; however, he is not in breach of contract if he doesn’t bring the winning bid. Got it?
Sign a bilateral contract with “smart”: don’t go the For Sale By Owner (FSBO) route; find a real estate agent to go with you on this journey!
Popular Real Estate Terms
An actual location’s elevation defines the height or space below or above an established reference point. We call this point geoid, a math model of our planet’s sea level. ...
- What are the closing costs?Closing costs are the fees and expenses paid during Closing. They are not included in the final purchase price of the property.- How much are the closing ...
The adjudication definition is a legal ruling or judgment used in the justice system when a case is settled or finalized. To define adjudication, we must look at the justice system and how ...
Insulating material attached to crevices around doors and windows to prevent air from either entering or escaping from a structure. Tacked, stapled, or glued onto the surfaces of the doors ...
Giving one's approval to another, e.g., a fiduciary, to manage his or her finances. ...
Large scale map of an urban area detailing land use. City plans are essential for projecting the growth, development, and redevelopment of the urban area. The major objective of a city plan ...
An easement granted to a public utility. ...
Amount by which the appraised value of property exceeds the debt balance. If property has a fair market value of $ 250,000 while the mortgage balance is $110,000, the owner's equity in the ...
An adjustment to the internal rate of return (IRR) computation so as to improve this measure. This uses a risk-free after-tax rate and a customary rate for money reinvestment. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.