Earnest Money
The monetary advance by a buyer of part of the purchase price to indicate the intention and ability of the buyer to carry out the contract.

Easement
A right of use over the property of another created by grant, reservation, agreement, prescription or necessary implication. It is either for the benefit of adjoining land (Appurtenant), such as the right to cross A to get to B, or for the benefit of a specific individual (in gross), such as a public utility easement.

Economic Feasibility
A building or project's feasibility in terms of costs and revenue, with excess revenue establishing the degree of viability.

Economic Rent
The market rental value of a property at a given point in time, even though the actual rent may be different.

Effective Rent
The actual rental rate to be achieved by the landlord after deducting the value of concessions from the base rental rate paid by a tenant, usually expressed as an average rate over the term of the lease.

Efficiency Factor
Represents the percentage of net rentable square feet devoted to the building's common areas (lobbies, restrooms, corridors, etc). This factor can be computed for an entire building or a single floor of a building. Also known as a core factor or rentable/usable (R/U) factor, it is calculated by dividing the rentable square footage by the usable square footage.

Eminent Domain
A power of the state, municipalities, and private persons or corporations authorized to exercise functions of public character to acquire private property for public use by condemnation, in return for just compensation. See also "Condemnation".

Encroachment
The intrusion of a structure which extends, without permission, over a property line, easement boundary or building setback line.

Encumbrance
Any right to, or interest in, real property held by someone other than the owner, but which will not prevent the transfer of fee title (i.e., a claim, lien, charge or liability attached to and binding real property.)

Environmental Impact Statement
Documents which are required by federal and state laws to accompany proposals for major projects and programs that will likely have an impact on the surrounding environment.

Equity
The fair market value of an asset less any outstanding indebtedness or other encumbrances.

Escalation Clause
A clause in a lease which provides for the rent to be increased to reflect changes in expenses paid by the landlord such as real estate taxes, operating costs, etc. This may be accomplished by several means such as fixed periodic increases, increases tied to the Consumer Price Index or adjustments based on changes in expenses paid by the landlord in relation to a dollar stop or base year reference.

Estoppel Certificate
A signed statement certifying that certain statements of fact are correct as of the date of the statement and can be relied upon by a third party, including a prospective lender or purchaser. In the context of a lease, a statement by a tenant identifying that the lease is in effect and certifying that no rent has been repaid and that there are no known outstanding defaults by the landlord (except those specified).

Escrow Agreement
A written agreement made between the parties to a contract and an escrow agent. The escrow agreement sets for the basic obligations of the parties, describes the monies (or other things of value) to be deposited in escrow, and instructs the escrow agent concerning the disposition of the monies deposited.

Exclusive Agency Listing
A written agreement between a real estate broker and a property owner in which the owner promises to pay a fee or commission to the broker if specified real property is leased during the listing period. The broker need not be the procuring cause of the lease.

Expense Stop
An agreed dollar amount of taxes and operating expense (expressed for the building as a whole or on a square foot basis) over which the tenant will pay its prorated share of increases. May be applied to specific expenses (e.g.,, property taxes or insurance).