The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Financial institution."A bank, savings association or operating subsidiary of a bank or savings association, a credit union, an association authorized by law to engage in the mortgage loan business or an assignee of a mortgage, mortgage note or other rights of a financial institution.
"Payee."A person that claims the right to receive or collect a private transfer fee payable under a private transfer obligation.
"Private transfer fee."A fee or charge payable upon the transfer of an interest in real property, or payable for the right to make or accept the transfer, if the obligation to pay the fee or charge runs with title to the property or otherwise binds subsequent owners of property, regardless of whether the fee or charge is a fixed amount or is determined as a percentage of the value of the property, the purchase price or other consideration given for the transfer. The following are not private transfer fees for purposes of this chapter:
(1) Any consideration payable by or on behalf of the grantee to the grantor for the interest in real property being transferred, including any subsequent additional consideration for the property payable by or on behalf of the grantee based upon any subsequent appreciation, development or sale of the property, if the additional consideration is payable on a one-time basis only and the obligation to make the payment does not bind successors in title to the property. For the purposes of this paragraph, an interest in real property may include a separate mineral estate and its appurtenant surface access rights.
(2) Any commission payable to a licensed real estate broker for the transfer of real property pursuant to an agreement between the broker and the grantor or the grantee, including, but not limited to, any subsequent additional commission for that transfer payable by the grantor or the grantee based upon any subsequent appreciation, development or sale of the property.
(3) Any interest, charge, fee or other amount payable to a lender or financial institution pursuant to a mortgage, deed of trust, lien or security interest in or against real property, including, but not limited to, any fee payable for consenting to an assumption of a loan or a transfer of the real property subject to the mortgage, deed of trust, lien or security interest or any fee or charge payable for estoppel letters or certificates and any shared appreciation interest or profit participation or other consideration payable to the lender or financial institution.
(4) Any rent, reimbursement, charge, fee or other amount payable by a lessee to a lessor under a lease, including, but not limited to, any fee payable to the lessor for consenting to an assignment, subletting, encumbrance or transfer of the lease.
(5) Any consideration payable to the holder of an option to purchase an interest in real property or the holder of a right of first refusal or first offer to purchase an interest in real property for waiving, releasing or not exercising the option or right upon the transfer of the real property to another person.
(6) Any tax, fee, charge, assessment, fine or other amount payable to or imposed by a governmental authority.
(7) Any fee, charge, assessment, dues, fine, contribution or other amount payable to a homeowners', condominium, cooperative, manufactured home or property owners' association and its agent pursuant to a declaration or covenant or law applicable to the association, including, but not limited to, fees or charges payable for estoppel letters or certificates, including resale certificates, issued by the association or its authorized agent.
(8) Any fee, charge, assessment, dues, fine, contribution or other amount, which is imposed by a declaration or covenant encumbering real property and which is payable solely to a nonprofit corporation, charitable association or charitable trust, that:
(i) has been in existence for at least two years; and
(ii) holds, on real property subject to the declaration or covenant or on real property included in the same development plan with the real property subject to the declaration or covenant:
(A) an agricultural conservation easement as defined in section 3 of the act of June 30, 1981 (P.L.128, No.43), known as the Agricultural Area Security Law; or
(B) a conservation easement as defined in section 3 of the act of June 22, 2001 (P.L.390, No.29), known as the Conservation and Preservation Easements Act.
(9) Any fee, charge, assessment, dues, fine, contribution or other amount pertaining solely to the purchase or transfer of a club membership relating to real property owned by the member, including, but not limited to, any amount determined by reference to the value, purchase price or other consideration given for the transfer of the real property.
(10) Any payment or other amount due for or upon the removal or extraction of timber, crops or minerals, including oil, gas and water, from real property.
"Private transfer fee obligation."An obligation arising under a declaration or covenant recorded against the title to real property, or under any other contractual agreement or promise, whether recorded, that requires or purports to require the payment of a private transfer fee upon a subsequent transfer of an interest in the real property.
"Transfer."The sale, gift, conveyance, assignment, inheritance or other transfer of an ownership interest in real property located in this Commonwealth.