What term is used to describe the concealment of material fact in real estate?

The term that is used to describe the concealment of a material fact in real estate is fraud. In the context of real estate transactions, fraud involves intentionally misleading or deceiving another party through the concealment of important facts that could affect their decision-making. This includes not disclosing significant issues related to a property, such as structural problems, zoning violations, or any other pertinent information that could influence a buyer's purchase decision.

Fraud goes beyond mere misrepresentation, which generally concerns false statements made without necessarily hiding facts. In cases of fraud, there is a clear intent to deceive, which implies a higher degree of culpability since it can include concealment or omission of critical information that a party is obliged to disclose. Thus, understanding that fraud encompasses these deceptive practices establishes why this is the appropriate term when referring to the concealment of material facts in real estate dealings.