What is a Mortgage?
A mortgage is a loan that allows you to buy a home without paying cash. Instead, you make a deposit or down payment on the property, and borrow the rest of the purchase price from a lender. Each month, you pay back some of the original amount you borrowed, plus interest. Failure to repay the loan results in foreclosure. In addition to loan principal, a monthly mortgage payment includes taxes and insurance.
A lender will usually require a credit check and a full financial report before providing a mortgage. This is done to ensure that the borrower has a high enough credit score and income to afford repayment. A mortgage is a long-term commitment, typically 30 years. If you are unsure whether you can afford a new mortgage, consider obtaining preapproval from several lenders before making an offer on a home. A preapproval is more informal and doesn’t include an official loan approval, but it may help you determine the best financing options for your needs.
During the early days of homeownership, few people had sufficient savings to purchase their homes outright. To get around this limitation, the practice of mortgaging became popular. A mortgage loan is an agreement to grant the lender a security interest in real estate or other assets as collateral for the debt. The terms of a mortgage can vary widely from country to country, and can be enforced through laws or private contracts.
Before getting a mortgage, you should have a clear understanding of the purchase process and how to avoid costly mistakes. Buying a home is usually the biggest single investment most people will ever make, so it’s important to understand all of the associated costs and risks. A mortgage broker can help you find the right home for your budget and lifestyle, and help you negotiate a fair price with the seller and their realtor.
A mortgage is generally secured by a legal document called a deed of trust, which gives the lender rights to take ownership of your home if you fail to make your payments. Mortgage lenders use this deed of trust as a form of creditworthiness, as they will take priority over other creditors in the event of bankruptcy or insolvency.
Many types of real property can be mortgaged, including residential and commercial properties. Individuals may also mortgage second homes, vacation property or rental properties. Mortgage guidelines for these types of properties are often stricter, with higher down payment requirements and interest rates.
In most countries, mortgages are funded through the banking sector or through capital markets (via securitization). The lender loans funds in exchange for interest income, and will then typically sell the pool of mortgages to investors in small denominations. This reduces their own funding risk while offering an attractive return on capital.