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

Person chosen by a testator/testatrix to handle and conduct the terms of a will to an estate. Duties include collecting and selling of properties and paying debts of the state. ...

You’ve put your home on the market and are receiving offers. The next logical step is to sell your house to the buyer who offers you the highest amount of money and start the closing ...

Keeps something under control, such as water and sand. It blocks natural flow and settling of earth. It performs the same function as a dam would for water. ...

To fulfill , complete, implement, perform, or carry out terms of an agreement including completing a signature on a contract and delivering a document to the intended party. ...

Method of valuing a property through examination and comparison of recent sales of comparable properties. ...

Refurbishing or rebuilding a property, such as a house, back to its original or earlier condition. ...

Process of developing an area by planning and building homes, shopping centers, schools or churches. The development process includes the construction of streets, sewers, utilities, parks, ...

What is a turnkey property? A turnkey property is a very popular type of investment property that real estate investors prefer because it starts bringing a return on investment quickly. ...

An attorney's opinion of the status of a title, which is attached to the abstract of title. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions