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

Value that a speculator believes an investment will reach at some point in the future. ...

Discounted value of net cash receipts to be obtained from a property. The present value calculation includes consideration of annual cash inflows plus the disposal value. ...

Also called a rollover mortgage. Provides a borrower with a fixed-rate mortgage that expires at a preestablished time, such as in four years. This permits the lender and borrower to ...

Federal agency that aids veterans of the armed forces. For example, it guarantees a home loan for up to a predetermined dollar amount or percentage of the loan balance, whichever is less. ...

The term acknowledgement refers to an act, deed, declaration, or an expression of appreciation, but it also refers to accepting or recognizing something. The definition of acknowledgement, ...

The definition of emblements in real estate is very simple: emblements are the crops grown on a piece of property leased to a tenant. Legally, the crops are the property of the person who ...

Roof sloping upward from all four sides of a building with the two longer sides of the roof forming a ridge in the middle. ...

Geographic area that is attractive to prospective tenants. Square footage in an office building or apartment house that may be rented by a tenant. ...

Specific portion of a larger land tract. A parcel can also be a lot in a property subdivision. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions