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
Unequal treatment and denial of opportunity to individuals based on race, color, creed, nationality, age, or sex. The Civil Rights Acts passed by the U.S. Congress included those of 1866, ...
Detailed financial accounting of all the credits and debits for the buyer and seller upon consummation of a real estate sale. ...
Provision in a mortgage that requires the final payment to be substantially more than all other payments. ...
History of an individual's credit financial transactions including a detailed payment analysis. The creditor history is critical for performing a credit analysis to develop a credit rating. ...
Heating system hidden behind special panels, the walls, or the ceiling. Can use electric heating elements, hot air, or hot water pipes. ...
Heat resistance measure commonly used with insulating material, outside walls, and roofs. The higher the R value, the more heat transfer resistance a material has." ...
Interest rate on a mortgage that moves up or down based on some variable such as an index of lender's cost of funds, inflation rate, or prime rate. ...
Unsecured long-term debt. There is no collateral or lien on the property. A debenture can only be issued by a financially sound borrower with an excellent credit rating because no ...
A form of life or disability insurance where a mortgagor insures a mortgage in the event of death or disability. The principal covered by mortgage insurance declines as the mortgage is ...

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