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

One of the things that humanity aspires to is open spaces and outdoor recreation opportunities, a place where families can enjoy natural beauty in its most raw form. The open space ...

English style of architecture characterized by carving and paneling and flattened arches. ...

The minimum age required for legal competency ( in most states 18 years). ...

Law of the state establishing guidelines and requirements for constructing buildings. The standard may differ between the states. ...

Founded in1934 and located in Chicago, IL with a 1993 membership of 8,300, the IAAO seeks to ameliorate assessment standards as well as to perform ongoing property assessment research. The ...

Day the attachment of property under a judicial order becomes effective. ...

Secondary written agreement to purchase real property in the event the initial contract is not signed. ...

Also known as SIOR, the Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS® is a professional commercial and industrial real estate association that works on an international level. In the US, ...

Securities supported by a pool of mortgages. The principal and interest are due monthly in the mortgages and are passed through to the investors who bought the pool. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions