Glossary of terms

Gazumping

Gazumping may take two forms:

• The intending buyer believes that the property has been secured by payment of a holding deposit, and proceeds to arrange finance, legal and other matters. When ready to exchange contracts, the intending buyer finds that another buyer (of which he or she was unaware) has exchanged contracts with the vendor on the same property.
• The vendor or real estate agent accepts two or more deposits and then before contracts are exchanged, tells the intending purchasers that the price has gone up. The intending buyers are then left to outbid each other as if it were an auction.

Gearing

Borrowing funds to leverage or boost your investment power.