Home Affordability Index

Definition of "Home affordability index"

Measure of the typical U.S. family's ability to buy a home, published by the National Association of Realtors. When the Index measures 100, a family earning the median income has exactly the amount needed to purchase a median-priced, previously owned home, using conventional financing and a 20% down payment. For example, an index of 140.9 means that half the families in the nation have at least 140.9% if the income needed to qualify for the purchase of a home with a median price of, say, $107,400. some experts maintain that every one-point increase rate results in 300,000 fewer home sales.

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

Site where mobile homes are located. Mobile home parks are often mandated by municipal zoning laws. They provide necessary utilities to the mobile homes often including recreational ...

Unlimited interest in property. A freehold estate may be a fee simple or file estate. Freehold estate includes freehold in deed, a fee simple estate; freehold in law, an inheritable estate; ...

Word, or group of words, that identifies a business or one of its products. The name is registered with U.S. Patent Office and provides legal protection for an indefinite number of renewals ...

The process of changing, updating, and altering the appearance and structural characteristics of a building. For example, John remodels the kitchen in his home by replacing the cabinets, ...

To clip or prune shrubbery,etc. ...

The interest left in an estate after all costs have been deducted. For example, if a business is willed to X for life with the balance to Y upon X's death, Y has a remainder interest. ...

Wires, such as for electricity, places beneath the floor of a structure. ...

Interest based on a 360-day year instead of a 365-day year. The former is referred to as simple interest and the latter is termed exact interest. The difference between the two types of ...

(1) Financial ability and soundness of a business or individual to afford the purchase of property. (2) Worth of the dollar in real terms considering inflation. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions