Debt Service
The total amount of debt (credit cards, mortgage, car loan) that an individual is carrying at any one time. <<back

Deed
The document used to transfer ownership in a property from seller to buyer. <<back

Deposit
Money or other considerations of value given as pledge for fulfillment of a contract or agreement. <<back

Depreciation
Reduction in market value of property. <<back

Downpayment
The cash put into a purchase by the borrower. Lenders like to see the borrower put at least 25 percent down in cash, because lenders generally believe that if you have a higher cash down payment, it is less likely the home will go into foreclosure. In recent years, however, lenders have become more flexible about cash down payments; recently, lenders have begun accepting cash down payments of as little as 5 percent. <<back