Mortgage Glossary Helps Understand Real Estate Terms

A person buying a home and ready to sign a mortgage loan agreement should become familiar with the terms used in the real estate business so as to better understand what they are signing. There are many terms in a mortgage glossary that are self-explanatory, such as payment, but others may keep buyers in the dark as to their meaning.

Most home loan agreements have an acceleration clause in them, which is a fancy way of saying if the buyer falls behind on the payments, the lender can demand full payment of the remaining balance. This term in the mortgage glossary allows the lender to accelerate the due date for the loan to be paid in full. Amortization is something most people understand, but do not comprehend how it applies to their loan. In the mortgage glossary it is explained as the amount of the monthly payment that will go towards the principal and the amount that goes towards paying the interest on the loan. Most know it means the principal goes down slower than the interest goes up during the first few years.

A balloon payment written into a loan agreement is explained as the requirement of the balance of the principal amount being paid back at a preset date, regardless of the length of the loan. For example, according to the mortgage glossary a 30-year loan can contain the requirement that at the end of 10 years, the principal balance needs to be made as a balloon payment. Interest will continue to be paid on the loan at a previously agreed upon rate.

Is The Price Comped Or The ARM Convertible

Looking through a mortgage glossary is advisable for any homebuyer taking out a new home loan. There are times when real estate companies do not conduct an in-home appraisal for the homes value, rather they use the appraised values of recently sold homes in the neighborhood to determine a comparable price for the houses worth. While comp pricing is an accepted industry practice, some agencies have inflated process on comp appraisals to increase the homes value beyond reality.

Adjustable rate mortgages are a great tool for allowing people to buy more house than their current income can justify, but if the interest rates increase, so do the monthly payments. In the mortgage glossary a convertible ARM describes an adjustable rate mortgage that can be converted to a fixed rate at a preset point within the life of the loan. Looking to buy a house, people should have a mortgage glossary and never leave home without it.