Conventional Mortgage
Definition of "Conventional mortgage"
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.
Popular Real Estate Terms
An interim or provisional court decree, which is not final and can be reversed or amended, normally issued to direct additional proceedings prior to issuing a final decree. For example, an ...
Interest a person pays before it is actually incurred. An example is a one year's interest that a borrower agrees to pay in advance to a bank on a mortgage. This rarely occurs. ...
Percentage of rental property that is unoccupied. For example, a vacancy rate of 25% means that 25% of the rental unites are nor being used. Idle space can cause a significant cash drain ...
Typically, the legal term attachment refers to seizing a person’s property, being charged with debt, and giving it to the wronged creditor until the process is in motion. Attachment ...
Latin term meaning let the buyer beware. The buyer purchases at his or her risk, in the absence of fraud. This does not obligate the seller to volunteer information. However, legal statutes ...
Uncertainties associated with real property including lack of insurance coverage in the event of fire or injury, high crime area, and environmental problems. This risk may be reduced ...
Provision in a loan agreement where a debtor authorizes a judgment against him in the event of a default. These agreements are widely restricted, but when they are lawful, the creditor is ...
Rule stating that the monthly mortgage payment, property taxes, and insurance should not exceed 25% of a family's monthly gross income, or about 35% for a Federal Housing Administration ...
A correlation defines how two variables relate to one another. We can confirm a correlation if an alteration in one variable can change the other’s behavior. Using quantifiable data ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.