Mortgage Loans

A mortgage loan is a type of loan that is secured by real property via a mortgage note.  This mortgage note documents the existence of the loan and the encumbrance of the property through the granting of the mortgage that secures the loan.

In the United States, since the prices of homes and properties are very high, it is typical for a prospective buyer to secure a mortgage in order to purchase the property.  These mortgages can be secure from a bank or a mortgage broker.  (In a future post, I will talk more about the differences between obtaining mortgage loans from these two).

When obtaining a mortgage, you can either get a fixed rate or variable rate.  You can also get interest free for a specific time period and/or have a balloon payment clause.  In the last decade, lenders created many different loan programs to get prospective buyers to bite on low initial rates (without necessarily being able to afford the real interest and principal payments), and this caused many defaults and foreclosures.

When applying for a mortgage, your assets and credit profile will qualify you for a specific rate.  It is up to you to decide if your rate and payment fit within your income and lifestyle.