Half-bath Also called
a powder room, a half-bath contains a toilet and a sink
but no bathtub or shower stall.
Hazard insurance This
provision of homeowners insurance covers damage by fire,
wind or other disaster. It is required by all lenders
before a loan is approved.
Header Crossbeams above
windows and doors.
Heat pump An electric
cooling and heating system.
Hectare The equivalent
of 2.471 acres.
High density The concentration
of housing units in a specific area or on a specific
property.
High-rise Any building
higher than six stories.
Hip roof A pitched
roof with sloping sides.
Historic preservation The
physical rehabilitation of a historic home or building,
and the movement of the same name begun in the 1960s
in the U.S. to preserve and protect landmarks and urban
neighborhoods.
Historic structure
A home or building listed in the National Register of
Historic Places and certified as historic by the U.S.
Secretary of the Interior.
Home equity conversion mortgage
Loans made to older owners who want to convert equity
into money. Because borrowers are qualified on the basis
of the value of their home, e, the loan is not the same
as a home equity loan. Also known as reverse mortgages.
Home equity loan A
loan that allows owners to borrow against the equity
in their homes.
Home inspection An
examination of a home's construction, condition and
internal systems by an inspector or contractor prior
to purchase.
Home rule The power
of a local government to adopt its own land-use regulations.
Home warranty A type
of insurance that covers repairs to certain parts of
a house and some fixtures.
Homeowners' association
A group that governs a modern subdivision or planned
community. An association collects monthly fees from
all owners to pay for maintenance of common areas, handle
legal and safety issues, and enforce the covenants,
conditions and restrictions set by the developer.
Homeowners' insurance
This insurance includes hazard coverage for any damages
that may affect the value of a house, in addition to
personal liability and theft coverage.
Homeowners' warranty
Special insurance policies that cover certain home repairs
for a specified amount of time.
Homesteading A document
that protects some of a home's equity from lawsuits.
Hopper window A window
that contains a single sash that tilts inward.
Hose bibb A threaded
faucet connection for devices such as a washing machine.
House wrap A polyethylene
barrier wrapped around a house to save energy.
Housing discrimination
The illegal practice of denying an individual or group
the right to buy or rent a home based on race, color,
religion, national origin, sex, disability or family
status.
