A party to a real estate transaction, including a seller or buyer, landlord, or tenant, is referred to as which of the following?

In the context of a real estate transaction, the term "principal to a transaction" refers to any party involved in the transfer of property rights, which includes sellers, buyers, landlords, and tenants. This designation emphasizes that these parties are the main actors in the transaction, representing their own interests, whether they are selling, purchasing, leasing, or renting property.

The other terms listed have different meanings. A real estate broker is a licensed professional who facilitates transactions between buyers and sellers or landlords and tenants, often representing one of the principals but not being a principal themselves. A real estate salesperson works under the supervision of a broker and assists in the transaction process, but again, is not a principal. An affiliate broker is similar to a real estate salesperson and typically works under a broker’s license, focusing on assisting clients in real estate transactions without being an independent principal in the deal. Therefore, the correct identification of the party involved in the transaction as a principal accurately captures their role and responsibilities in the context of real estate dealings.