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In financial and business terms, an acquisition usually refers to one company buying another. When Company A acquires Company B, it means A now owns B — its assets, customers, operations, and all the headaches that come with it. But zoom out a bit: acquisitions aren’t just for Fortune 500 CEOs. Regular people like you and me can use this concept in powerful ways.

Community property is a legal concept that applies in certain U.S. states. In simple terms, it means any assets or debts acquired during a marriage are considered equally owned by both spouses—no matter who earned it or whose name is on the title. This rule applies in nine states (known as “community property states”): Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. A few others (like Alaska) allow couples to opt in.

Tenancy in Common is a way for two or more people to own property together. Each person owns a share of the property, but those shares don’t have to be equal. One person could own 50%, another 30%, and another 20%. The key here? Each person’s share is individually owned—meaning they can sell, gift, or will their portion to someone else without needing the others’ approval.

Definition: Joint Tenancy is a form of ownership where two or more people hold equal shares in an asset—usually real estate. The defining feature? Right of survivorship. That means if one owner passes away, their share automatically transfers to the remaining owner(s), bypassing probate.

Foreclosure is the legal process in which a lender takes possession of a property when the homeowner fails to make their mortgage payments.

Crowdfunding is a method of raising capital through the collective effort of friends, family, customers, and individual investors.

Cash-on-cash return is a rate of return used in real estate investments that calculates the cash earned on the cash invested in a property.

Capitalization Rate is a ratio that compares the net operating income (NOI) of a property to its purchase price or current market value.

NOI is a financial metric used to evaluate the profitability of income-generating real estate investments, excluding any financing costs.

Appreciation is the increase in value of an asset over time. When something appreciates, it's worth more now than when you bought it.

A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is a company that owns, operates, or finances income-producing real estate.

A mortgage is a financial bridge that lenders offer to help you buy your home now, allowing you to pay it off over 15 to 30 years.

Real estate is all about buying, selling, and owning property - homes, multifamily, office buildings, or land.

Amortization is the process of spreading out a loan into a series of fixed payments over time.

Leverage involves using borrowed money or financial instruments to increase the potential return of an investment.

Interest rates, expressed as a percentage, are the cost of borrowing money or the reward for saving it.

Inflation is the slow and steady rise in the prices of goods and services over time. It's the value of your money decreasing.

Capital refers to the assets that individuals or businesses use to create wealth. It is the fuel that powers the engine of economic growth.

Debt is money borrowed by one party from another. Think of it like a financial IOU.

Asset Allocation is how you divide your investments among different types of assets – like stocks, bonds, and cash.