A
Acceleration Clause - Allows the lender to demand immediate payment of the balance of the loan should you default on your payments.
Adjustable Rate Mortgage - A mortgage in which the interest rate is adjusted periodically based on a designated financial index. Also known as variable rate mortgage.
Adjustment Interval - On an adjustable rate mortgage, the time between changes in the interest rate and/or monthly payment.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) - An interest rate reflecting the cost of a loan as a yearly rate. This rate is likely to be higher than the stated note rate on the mortgage, as it takes into account points and other credit costs. The APR allows borrowers to compare different types of mortgages based on the annual cost for each loan.
Appraisal - Estimate of the value of property by a qualified professional called an "appraiser."
Assumption - Agreement between buyer and lender where the buyer takes over the payments on an existing mortgage.
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B
Balloon Payment Mortgage - Usually a short-term loan involving small payments for a set period of time and one large payment for the remaining principal balance at a specified time.
Broker - An individual in the business of assisting, arranging, funding or negotiating loans for a client, but does not loan the money himself.
Buy Down - When the lender and/or the home builder subsidizes the mortgage by lowering the interest rate during first few years of the loan. While payments are initially low, they will increase when the subsidy expires.
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C
CAPS (Interest) - Consumer safeguards that limit the amount that the interest rate on an ARM loan may change per year and/or the life of the loan.
CAPS (Payment) - Consumer safeguards which limit the amount monthly payments on an adjustable rate mortgage may change.
Closing - Meeting between the buyer, seller, lender and escrow officer where the property and funds legally change hands. Also called Settlement.
Closing Costs - Usually include an origination fee, appraisal fee, title search and insurance, taxes, deed recording fee, credit report charge and other costs assessed at settlement.
Commitment - An agreement, often in writing, between a lender and a borrower to loan money at a future date subject to the completion of paperwork or compliance with stated conditions.
Construction Loan - Short-term interim loan for financing the cost of construction. The lender advances funds to the builder at periodic intervals as the work progresses.
Conventional Loan - A loan not insured by FHA, VA or Farmers Home Administration.
Credit Ratio - The ratio, expressed as a percentage, which results when a borrower(s) monthly payment obligation on long term debts is divided by his or her net effective income (FHA/VA loans) or gross monthly income (Conventional loans). See Housing Expenses-to-Income Ratio.
Credit Report - Report listing borrower(s) consumer credit use, including past and current debts, payment ratings and terms.
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D
Deed of Trust - Document used in many states to secure the payment of a note.
Default - Failure to make the required payments on a loan. Often results in foreclosure.
Deferred Interest - See Negative Amortization.
Delinquency - Failure to make loan payments on time. This could lead to default or foreclosure.
Department of Veterans Affairs - Independent agency of the Federal Government which guarantees long-term, low or no-down payment loans to eligible veterans.
Discount Points - See POINTS.
Down Payment - Money paid to make up the difference between the purchase price and loan amount. Down payments usually are 10 to 20 percent of the sales price on conventional loans.
Due on Sale Clause - A provision in a mortgage or deed of trust that allows the lender to demand immediate payment of the balance of the mortgage if the mortgage holder sells the home.
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E
Earnest Money - Money given by a buyer as part of the purchase price to bind a transaction or assure payment. Also called DEPOSIT.
Equal Opportunity Act (ECOA) - Federal Law requiring lenders and other creditors to make credit equally available without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status or receipt of income from public assistance programs.
Equity - The difference between market value and current loan, also known as owner's interest.
Escrow - Neutral third party that carries out the instructions of both the borrower and lender to handle settlement or "closing." Escrow may also refer to an account held by the lender into which the borrower pays for tax or insurance payments.
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F
Fannie Mae (FNMA) - Federal National Mortgage Association.
Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) - Provides financing to farmers and other qualified borrowers who are unable to obtain loans elsewhere.
FHA Loan - Loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration open to qualified home purchasers. While limited in size, they are generous enough to handle moderate-priced homes almost anywhere in the country.
FHA Mortgage Insurance - Requires a small fee (up to 3 percent of the loan amount) paid at closing or a portion of this fee added to each monthly payment of an FHA loan to insure the loan with FHA. On a 9.5 percent $75,000 30-year fixed rate FHA loan, this fee would amount to either $2,250 at closing or an extra $31 a month for the life of the loan. In addition, FHA mortgage insurance requires an annual fee of 0.5 percent of the current loan amount.
FHA-Federal Housing Administration - A division of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Its main activity is the insuring of residential mortgage loans made by private lenders. FHA also sets standards for underwriting mortgages.
Fixed Rate Mortgage - Loan in which the interest rate is constant for the term of the loan.
Foreclosure - A legal procedure in which property securing debt is sold by the lender to pay the defaulting borrower(s) debt.
Freddie Mac - Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC) - A quasi-governmental agency that purchases conventional mortgages from insured depository institutions and HUD-approved mortgage bankers.
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G
GNMA-Ginnie Mae - Governmental National Mortgage Association. Provides sources of funds for residential mortgages, insured or guaranteed by FHA or VA.
Graduated Payment Mortgage (GPM) - A type of flexible-payment mortgage where the payments increase for a specified period of time and then level off. This type of mortgage has negative amortization built into it.
Gross Monthly Income - The total amount the borrower(s) earns each month, before any expenses are deducted.
Guarantee - A promise by one party to pay a debt or perform an obligation contracted by another if the original party fails to pay or perform according to a contract.
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H
Hazard Insurance - Insurance which protects the borrower and home from specified losses, such as fire, windstorm, etc.
Housing Expenses-to-Income Ratio - The ratio, expressed as a percentage, obtained by dividing borrower(s) housing expenses by his/her gross monthly income. See debt-to-income ratio.
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I
Impound - Portion of the borrower(s) monthly payment collected by the lender to pay taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance, and other items as they become due. Also known as reserves.
Index - The rate against which lenders measure the difference between the current rate on adjustable rate loans and that earned by other investments, (US Treasury security yields, monthly average interest rate on loans closed by savings and loans, and monthly average cost-of-funds incurred by savings and loans), which is then used to adjust the interest rate up or down.
Invester - Money source of a lender.
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J
Jumbo Loan - Loan which is larger than the limits set by FNMA and FHLMC. Because jumbo loans cannot be funded by these agencies, they usually carry a higher interest rate.
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K
No Defintions Back to Top
L
Lien - A claim upon a piece of property for the payment of satisfaction of a debt or obligation.
Loan-to-Value Ratio (LTV) - The relationship between the amount of the loan and the appraised value of the property expressed as a percentage.
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M
Margin - Rate expressed as a percentage that a lender adds to the index on an adjustable rate loan to establish the adjusted interest rate.
Market Value - The highest price that a buyer would pay and the lowest price a seller would accept on a property. Market value may be different from the price a property could actually be sold for at a given time.
Mortgage Insurance - Paid to insure the mortgage when the down payment is less than 20 percent. See Private Mortgage Insurance or FHA Mortgage Insurance.
Mortgagee - The lender.
Mortgagor - The borrower or homeowner.
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N
Negative Amortization - Occurs when your monthly payments are not large enough to pay all the interest due on the loan. This unpaid interest is added to the unpaid balance of the loan.
Net Effective Income - The borrower(s) gross income minus federal income tax.
Non-Assumption Clause - Statement in a loan contract forbidding the assumption of the loan without the prior approval of the lender.
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O
Origination Fee - Fee charged by lender to prepare loan documents, credit checks, etc., usually computed as a percentage of face value of the loan.
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P
PITI - Principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. Also called monthly housing expense.
Points (Loan Discount Points) - Prepaid interest assessed at closing by the lender. Each point is equal to 1 percent of the loan amount.
Power of Attorney - A legal document authorizing one person to act on behalf of another.
Prepaids - Expenses necessary to create an escrow account or to adjust an existing account. Can include taxes, hazard insurance, private mortgage insurance and special assessments. Can also include mortgage interest.
Prepayment Penalty - Fee charged for early repayment of some loan types. Usually 6 months interest on 80% of current balance.
Principal - The balance, not including interest, left on a loan.
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) - For loans over 80% loan-to-value. Lenders will loan up to 95% in some cases. With the higher LTV loans, borrowers are required to carry private mortgage insurance, which requires an initial premium and may require an additional monthly fee depending on the structure of your loan.
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Q
No Defintions Back to Top
R
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) - Federal law allowing consumers to receive and review information on known or estimated settlement costs after application and again at settlement. Requires lenders to furnish information after application only.
Realtor - Real estate broker or agent belonging to the National Association of Realtors.
Recording Fees - Paid to the county for recording a home sale, thereby making it part of the public records.
Renegotiable Rate Mortgage (RRM) - A loan in which the interest rate is adjusted periodically.
Rescission - Law that gives the borrower 3 days after signing to cancel a contract, in some cases, if the transaction uses home equity as security.
Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM) - A mortgage in which the lender makes periodic payments to the borrower using the borrower(s) equity in the home as security.
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S
Servicing - All steps and operations a lender performs to keep a loan in good standing, such as collection of payments, payment of taxes, insurance, and property inspections.
Settlement Costs/Settlement Closing Costs - See closing costs.
Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAM) - A mortgage in which a borrower receives a below-market interest rate in return for which a lender (or another investor such as a family member or other partner) receives a portion of the future appreciation in the value of the property. May also apply to mortgages where the borrower shares the monthly principal and interest payments with another party in exchange for a part of the appreciation.
Survey - A measurement of land, prepared by a registered land surveyor, showing location of the land with reference to known points, dimensions, and the location and dimensions of any building.
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T
Term Mortgage - See Balloon Payment Mortgage.
Title - A document that gives evidence of an individual's ownership of property.
Title Insurance - A policy, usually issued by a title insurance company, which insures a homebuyer against errors in the title search.
Title Search - An examination of public records to determine the legal ownership of property. Usually is performed by a title company.
Truth-in-Lending - A federal law requiring disclosure of the Annual Percentage Rate to homebuyers shortly after they apply for the loan.
Two-Step Mortgage - Mortgage in which the borrower receives a below-market interest rate for a specified number of years (usually 5 or 7 years), and then a new interest rate adjusted (within limits) to market conditions at that time.
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U
Underwriting - The decision whether to make a loan based on credit, employment, assets, and other factors and matching this risk to an appropriate rate, term and loan amount.
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V
VA Loan - Long-term, low or no-down payment loan guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Borrowers qualified by military service or other entitlements.
VA Mortgage Funding Fee - Premium of up to 1 7/9 percent (depending on the size of the down payment) paid on a VA loan.
Variable Rate Mortgage (VRM) - See Adjustable Rate Mortgage.
Verification of Deposit (VOD) - Form signed by the borrower(s) bank or lender verifying the status and balance of financial accounts.
Verification of Employment - Form signed by the borrower(s) employer(s) verifying his/her position and salary.
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W
Wraparound - When an existing assumable loan is combined with a new loan, resulting in an interest rate somewhere between the old rate and the current market rate. The payments are made to a second lender or the previous homeowner, who then forwards the payments to the first lender after taking the additional amount off the top.
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X
No Defintions Back to Top
Y
No Defintions Back to Top
Z
No Defintions Back to Top
