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
Zoning a portion of land in a given area for different purposes than its surrounding functions. For example, a locality may decide to spot zone a vacant lot in a residential area for ...
Distance from the location of natural ground and water to the actual ground level. ...
Transfer of real estate from one taxpayer to another that are exempt from federal income taxes. An example is an exchange of property in which ownership of transferred real estate is still ...
Landlords act of seizing a tenants property to satisfy defaulted rent payments. To distrain a tenants property the landlord must give proper legal notice and is often accompanied by ...
Formal statement by an auditor, after through examination and consideration, as to whether a real estate company's financial statements fairly present financial position and operating ...
The real estate industry bases the agency definition on the relationship between a real estate agent and the client they represent. Agency relationships have a fiduciary element to them ...
Taken out on property to replace or repair it if it malfunctions. It covers parts and/or service. An example is a warranty a homeowner takes out on a stove, refrigerator, or dishwasher. It ...
Holding and controlling property. It includes not only custody but also having some legal right. An example is occupying real property and enjoying its benefits. ...
Beam that is supported only at one end. ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.