Mortgage Glossary

3/1, 5/1, 7/1 and 10/1 ARMs
Adjustable-rate mortgages in which rate is fixed for three-year, five-year, seven-year and
ten-year periods, respectively, but may adjust annually after that.

Acceleration
The right of the mortgagee (lender) to demand the immediate repayment of the mortgage loan
balance upon the default of the mortgagor (borrower), or by using the right vested in the
Due-on-Sale Clause.

Adjustable rate mortgage (ARM)
Is a mortgage in which the interest rate is adjusted periodically based on a pre-selected index.
Also sometimes known as the renegotiable rate mortgage, the variable rate mortgage or the
Canadian rollover mortgage.

Adjustment interval
On an adjustable rate mortgage, the time between changes in the interest rate and/or monthly
payment, typically one, three or five years depending on the index.

Amortization
Means loan payment by equal periodic payment calculated to pay off the debt at the end of a
fixed period, including accrued interest on the outstanding balance.

Annual percentage rate (A.P.R.)
APR is a measurement of the full cost of a loan including interest and loan fees expressed as a
yearly percentage rate. Because all lenders apply the same rules in calculating the annual
percentage rate, it provides consumers with a good basis for comparing the cost of loans.

Appraisal
An estimate of the value of property, made by a qualified professional called an "appraiser".

Assessment
A local tax levied against a property for a specific purpose, such as a sewer or street lights.

Assumption
The agreement between buyer and seller where the buyer takes over the payments on an
existing mortgage from the seller. Assuming a loan can usually save the buyer money since this
is an existing mortgage debt, unlike a new mortgage where closing cost and new, probably
higher, market-rate interest charges will apply.

Balloon Mortgage
A loan which is amortized for a longer period than the term of the loan. Usually this refers to a
thirty-year amortization and a five year term. At the end of the term of the loan, the remaining
outstanding principal on the loan is due. This final payment is known as a balloon payment.

Blanket Mortgage
A mortgage covering at least two pieces of real estate as security for the same mortgage.

Borrower (Mortgagor)
One who applies for and receives a loan in the form of a mortgage with the intention of
repaying the loan in full.

Broker
An individual in the business of assisting in arranging funding or negotiating contracts for a
client but who does not loan the money himself. Brokers usually charge a fee or receive a
commission for their services.

Buy-down
When the lender and/or the home builder subsidized the mortgage by lowering the interest rate
during the first few years of the loan. While the payments are initially low, they will increase
when the subsidy expires.

Cash Flow
The amount of cash derived over a certain period of time from an income-producing property.
The cash flow should be large enough to pay the expenses of the income producing property
(mortgage payment, maintenance, utilities, etc.).

Caps (interest)
Consumer safeguards which limit the amount the interest rate on an adjustable rate mortgage
which may change per year and/or the life of the loan.

Caps (payment)
Consumer safeguards which limit the amount monthly payments on an adjustable rate
mortgage may change.

Certificate of Eligibility
The document given to qualified veterans which entitles them to VA guaranteed loans for
homes, business and mobile homes. Certificates of eligibility may be obtained by sending form
DD-214 (Separation Paper) to the local VA office with VA form 1880 (request for
Certificate of Eligibility)

Certificate of Reasonable Value (CRV)
An appraisal issued by the Veterans Administration showing the property's current market
value

Certificate of veteran status
The document given to veterans or reservists who have served 90 days of continuous active
duty (including training time) It may be obtained by sending DD 214 to the local VA office
with form 26-8261a (request for certificate of veteran status. This document enables veterans
to obtain lower down payments on certain FHA insured loans).

Closing
The meeting between the buyer, seller and lender or their agents where the property and funds
legally change hands, also called settlement. Closing costs usually include an origination fee,
discount points, appraisal fee, title search and insurance, survey, taxes, deed recording fee,
credit report charge and other costs assessed at settlement. The cost of closing usually are
about 3 percent to 6 percent of the mortgage amount.

COFI
Adjustable-rate mortgage with rate that adjusts based on a cost-of-funds index, often the 11th
District Cost of Funds.

Construction loan
A short term interim loan to pay for the construction of buildings or homes. These are usually
designed to provide periodic disbursements to the builder as he progresses.

Contract sale or deed:
A contract between purchaser and a seller of real estate to convey title after certain conditions
have been met. It is a form of installment sale.

Conventional loan
A mortgage not insured by FHA or guaranteed by the VA.

Credit Report
A report documenting the credit history and current status of a borrower's credit standing.

Debt-to-Income Ratio
The ratio, expressed as a percentage, which results when a borrower's monthly payment
obligation on long-term debts is divided by his or her gross monthly income. See housing
expenses-to-income ratio.

Deed of trust
In many states, this document is used in place of a mortgage to secure the payment of a note.

Default
Failure to meet legal obligations in a contract, specifically, failure to make the monthly
payments on a mortgage.

Deferred interest
When a mortgage is written with a monthly payment that is less than required to satisfy the
note rate, the unpaid interest is deferred by adding it to the loan balance. See negative
amortization

Delinquency
Failure to make payments on time. this can lead to foreclosure.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
An independent agency of the federal government which guarantees long-term, low-or
no-down payment mortgages to eligible veterans.

Discount Point
see point

Down Payment
Money paid to make up the difference between the purchase price and the mortgage amount.

Due-on-Sale-Clause
A provision in a mortgage or deed of trust that allows the lender to demand immediate
payment of the balance of the mortgage if the mortgage holder sells the home.

Earnest Money
Money given by a buyer to a seller as part of the purchase price to bind a transaction or
assure payment.

Entitlement
The VA home loan benefit is called entitlement. Entitlement for a VA guaranteed home loan.
This is also known as eligibility.

Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA)
Is a federal law that requires lenders and other creditors to make credit equally available
without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status or
receipt of income from public assistance programs.

Equity
The difference between the fair market value and current indebtedness, also referred to as the
owner's interest. The value an owner has in real estate over and above the obligation against
the property.

Escrow
An account held by the lender into which the home buyer pays money for tax or insurance
payments. Also earnest deposits held pending loan closing.

Fannie Mae
see Federal National Mortgage Association.

Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation(FHLMC) also called "Freddie Mac",
Is a quasi-governmental agency that purchases conventional mortgage from insured
depository institutions and HUD-approved mortgage bankers.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
A division of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Its main activity is the
insuring of residential mortgage loans made by private lenders. FHA also sets standards for
underwriting mortgages.

Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) also know as "Fannie Mae"
A tax-paying corporation created by Congress that purchases and sells conventional
residential mortgages as well as those insured by FHA or guaranteed by VA. This institution,
which provides funds for one in seven mortgages, makes mortgage money more available and
more affordable.

FHA loan
A loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration open to all qualified home purchasers.
While there are limits to the size of FHA loans ($155,250 as of 1/1/96), they are generous
enough to handle moderately-priced homes almost anywhere in the country.

FHA mortgage insurance
Requires a fee (up to 2.25 percent of the loan amount) paid at closing to insure the loan with
FHA. In addition, FHA mortgage insurance requires an annual fee of up to 0.5 percent of the
current loan amount, paid in monthly installments. The lower the down payment, the more
years the fee must be paid.

FHLMC
The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation provides a secondary market for savings and
loans by purchasing their conventional loans. Also known as "Freddie Mac."

Firm Commitment
A promise by FHA to insure a mortgage loam for a specified property and borrower. A
promise from a lender to make a mortgage loan.

Fixed Rate Mortgage
The mortgage interest rate will remain the same on these mortgages throughout the term of the
mortgage for the original borrower.

FNMA
The Federal National Mortgage Association is a secondary mortgage institution which is the
largest single holder of home mortgages in the United States. FNMA buys VA, FHA, and
conventional mortgages from primary lenders. Also known as "Fannie Mae."

Foreclosure
A legal process by which the lender or the seller forces a sale of a mortgaged property
because the borrower has not met the terms of the mortgage. Also known as a repossession
of property.

Freddie Mac
see Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

Ginnie Mae
see Government National Mortgage Association.

Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA)
Also known as "Ginnie Mae", provides sources of funds for residential mortgages, insured or
guaranteed by FHA or VA.

Graduated Payment Mortgage (GPM)
A type of flexible-payment mortgage where the payments increase for a specified period of
time and then level off. This type of mortgage has negative amortization built into it.

Hazard Insurance (Homeowners Insurance)
A form of insurance in which the insurance company protects the insured from specified
losses, such as fire, windstorm and the like.

Housing Expenses-to-Income Ratio
The ratio, expressed as a percentage, which results when a borrower's housing expenses are
divided by his/her gross monthly income. See debt-to-income ratio.

Impound
That portion of a borrower's monthly payments held by the lender or servicer to pay for taxes,
hazard insurance, mortgage insurance, lease payments, and other items as they be

Jumbo Loan
A loan which is larger (more than $240,000 as of 1/1/99) than the limits set by the Federal
National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Co

Mortgage Insurance
Money paid to insure the mortgage when the down payment is less than 20 percent. See
private mortgage insurance, FHA mortgage insurance.

Mortgagee
The lender

Mortgagor
The borrower or homeowner

Negative Amortization
Occurs when your monthly payments are not large enough to pay all the interest due on
the loan. This unpaid interest is added to the unpaid balance of the loan. the danger of
negative amortization is that the home buyer ends up owing more than the original
amount of the loan.

Net Effective Income
The borrower's gross income minus federal income tax.

Non Assumption Clause
A statement in a mortgage contract forbidding the assumption of the mortgage without
the prior approval of the lender. Note: The signed obligation to pay a debt, as a
mortgage note.

Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS)
The regulatory and supervisory agency for federally chartered savings institutions.
Formally known as Federal Home Loan Bank Board

One-year adjustable
Mortgage whose annual rate changes yearly. The rate is usually based on movements of
a published index plus a specified margin, chosen by the lender.

Origination Fee
The fee charged by a lender to prepare loan documents, make credit checks, inspect
and sometimes appraise a property; usually computed as a percentage of the face value
of the loan.

PITI
Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance. Also called monthly housing expense.

Pledged account Mortgage (PAM):
Money is placed in a pledged savings account and this fund plus earned interest is
gradually used to reduce mortgage payments.

Points (loan discount points)
Prepaid interest assessed at closing by the lender. Each point is equal to 1 percent of
the loan amount (e.g., two points on a $100,000 mortgage would cost $2,000).

Power of Attorney
A legal document authorizing one person to act on behalf of another.

Prepaid Expenses
Necessary to create an escrow account or to adjust the seller's existing escrow account.
Can include taxes, hazard insurance, private mortgage insurance and special
assessments.

Prepayment
A privilege in a mortgage permitting the borrower to make payments in advance of
their due date.

Prepayment Penalty
Money charged for an early repayment of debt. Prepayment penalties are allowed in
some form (but not necessarily imposed) in many states.

Principal
The amount of debt, not counting interest, left on a loan.

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
In the event that you do not have a 20 percent down payment, lenders will allow a
smaller down payment - as low as 3 percent in some cases. With the smaller down
payment loans, however, borrowers are usually required to carry private mortgage
insurance. Private mortgage insurance will usually require an initial premium payment
and may require an additional monthly fee depending on you loan's structure.

Realtor
A real estate broker or an associate holding active membership in a local real estate
board affiliated with the National Association of Realtors.

Recission
The cancellation of a contract. With respect to mortgage refinancing, the law that gives
the homeowner three days to cancel a contract in some cases once it is signed if the
transaction uses equity in the home as security.

Recording Fees
Money paid to the lender for recording a home sale with the local authorities, thereby
making it part of the public records.

Refinance
Obtaining a new mortgage loan on a property already owned. Often to replace existing
loans on the property.

RESPA
Short for the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act. RESPA is a federal law that
allows consumers to review information on known or estimated settlement cost once
after application and once prior to or at a settlement. The law requires lenders to
furnish the information after application only.

Reverse Annuity Mortgage (RAM)
A form of mortgage in which the lender makes periodic payments to the borrower using
the borrower's equity in the home as collateral for and repayment of the loan.

Satisfaction of Mortgage
The document issued by the mortgagee when the mortgage loan is paid in full. Also
called a "release of mortgage."

Second Mortgage
A mortgage made subsequent to another mortgage and subordinate to the first one.

Secondary Mortgage Market
The place where primary mortgage lenders sell the mortgages they make to obtain
more funds to originate more new loans. It provides liquidity for the lenders.

Servicing
All the steps and operations a lender performs to keep a loan in good standing, such as
collection of payments, payment of taxes, insurance, property inspections and the like.

Settlement/Settlement Costs
see closing/closing costs

Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAM)
A mortgage in which a borrower receives a below-market interest rate in return for
which the lender (or another investor such as a family member or other partner)
receives a portion of the future appreciation in the value of the property. May also
apply to mortgage where the borrowers shares the monthly principal and interest
payments with another party in exchange for part of the appreciation.

Simple Interest
Interest which is computed only on the principle balance.

Survey
A measurement of land, prepared by a registered land surveyor, showing the location of
the land with reference to know points, its dimensions, and the location and dimensions
of any buildings.

Sweat Equity
Equity created by a purchaser performing work on a property being purchased.

Title
A document that gives evidence of an individual's ownership of property.

Title Insurance
A policy, usually issued by a title insurance company, which insures a home buyer
against errors in the title search. The cost of the policy is usually a function of the value
of the property, and is often borne by the purchaser and/or seller. Policies are also
available to protect the lender's interests.

Title Search
An examination of municipal records to determine the legal ownership of property.
Usually is performed by a title company.

Truth-In-Lending
A federal law requiring disclosure of the Annual Percentage Rate to home buyers
shortly after they apply for the loan. Also known as Regulation Z.

Two-Step Mortgage
A mortgage in which the borrower receives a below-market interest rate for a specified
number of years (most often seven or 10), and then receives a new interest rate
adjusted (within certain limits) to market conditions at that time. the lender sometimes
has the option to call the loan due with 30 days notice at the end of seven or 10 years.
also called "Super Seven" or "Premier" mortgage.

Underwriting
The decision whether to make a loan to a potential home buyer based on credit,
employment, assets, and other factors and the matching of this risk to an appropriate
rate and term or loan amount.

USURY
Interest charged in excess of the legal rate established by law.

VA Loan
A long-term, low-or no-down payment loan guaranteed by the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Restricted to individuals qualified by military service or other entitlements.

VA Mortgage Funding Fee
A premium of up to 1-7/8 percent (depending on the size of the down payment) paid on
a VA-backed loan. On a $75,000 fixed-rate mortgage with no down payment, this
would amount to $1,406 either paid at closing or added to the amount financed.

Variable Rate Mortgage (VRM)
see adjustable rate mortgage

Verification of Deposit (VOD)
A document signed by the borrower's financial institution verifying the status and
balance of his/her financial accounts.

Verification of Employment (VOE)
A document signed by the borrower's employer verifying his/her position and salary.

Verification of Mortgage (VOM)
A document signed by the borrower's current lender verifying the history of payments on the current mortgage.

Verification of Rent (VOR)
A document signed by the borrower's landlord verifying the history of rent payments.

Warehouse Fee
Many mortgage firms must borrow funds on a short term basis in order to originate
loans which are to be sold later in the secondary mortgage market (or to investors).
When the prime rate of interest is higher on short term loans than on mortgage loans,
the mortgage firm has an economic loss which is offset by charging a warehouse fee.

Wraparound mortgage
Results when an existing assumable loan is combined with a new loan, resulting in an
interest rate somewhere between the old rate and the current market rate. The
payments are made to a second lender or the previous homeowner, who then forwards
the payments to the first lender after taking the additional amount off the top.

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USA Financial, LLC
334 Ella Grasso Tnpk. Suite 290
Windsor Locks, CT 06096
Telephone: 860-627-8680 Fax: 860-627-8125