Definition of "Conventional mortgage"

Yolanda La Luz real estate agent

Written by

Yolanda La Luzelite badge icon

Realty Executives Cornerstone

A mortgage requiring a substantial down payment. It is usually only available to those having good credit, and has fixed monthly payments for the life of the loan. It usually has a 30 year period of fixed interest rates discharged on an amortized basis with equal monthly payments. The term conventional refers to a mortgage that is not FHA-insured or VA-guaranteed. Since there is no third person or entity to insure or guarantee the mortgage, the lender assumes full risk of default by the borrower. A lenders decision to make a conventional mortgage is usually dependent upon: (1) the value of the property being used to secure the debt and (2) the credit and income position of the borrower. As more and more conventional mortgages have been made, the loan to value ratio (relationship between the amount borrowed and the appraised value of the property) has continued to increase, even though most lenders still limit the amount they will lend to no more than 80% of value unless private mortgage insurance is carried. This down payment required is higher than with either VA or FHA loans. As the market price of residential real estate has continued to increase, a larger cash down payment has been required of the borrower, and thus many people have been eliminated from financing with a conventional mortgage. With both guaranteed and insured mortgages, people have been able to purchase real estate with a smaller cash down payment.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

An opening that lets the outside air come in or out of a structure. A ventilation fan lets the structure have access to outside air when the switch is in open position. ...

The term collusion may make you think about colluding from the start, and you wouldn’t be far from the truth. The definition of collusion is a secret, non-competitive, and, at times, ...

Choosing alternative real estate investment instruments having different risk-return features. Diversification can be done by regions and types of real estate. Diversification provides a ...

Usual operating service life of property for the purpose it was acquired. The useful life used for depreciation accounting does not necessarily coincide with the actual physical life or any ...

A scholar second mortgage definition would go something like: a loan with a second-priority claim against a property in the event that the borrower defaults. But that’s too stiff, ...

Compilation of all tax maps of a given tax district that are bound together and kept at the local tax office. The tax book is a public record that may be accessed by an individual for ...

I am the person. The person himself/herself. The actual person. ...

An estate which descends to heirs in perpetuum. In an estate of inheritance, the current tenant not only has the right to enjoy the property for life, buy his or her tenancy rights pass to ...

Transactions taking place between individuals who are alive rather than when one of the parties is either dead (e.g., estate) or is contemplating death. For example, a deed may transfer ...

Popular Real Estate Questions