A Mortgage Contract Is A Matter Of Public Record

A mortgage is how most consumers acquire the cash to purchase homes. You secure the mortgage with the property you purchase, you usually repay a combination of interest and principal until the balance is zero. After that, you own the home outright or you can refinance and take the wealth you have accrued. As the borrower, you enter a contract with a bank or finance company that lends you the money. The lender has a right to the title of the home if you do not make your scheduled repayments.

Every state has laws and regulations governing how to deal with this kind of contract. Technically, your home loan is either a mortgage or a non-judicial trust deed certificate with a simplified path to foreclosure. Whether you sign a mortgage or a trust deed depends on your state. The documents for the title to your home and your mortgage are both included in your state’s public record.

These Are The Mortgage Basics

Home Loan Approval – Your lender advances the principal of the loan based on an assessment of your credit reports and the verified value and condition of the property. Your credit history and other factors in the policies of the bank determine the interest rate that you pay. Conventional home loans are either fifteen or thirty-year terms of monthly payments.

Your Equity – The value of the property that is greater than the mortgage is your share. Equity is your deposit and the principal that you pay during the term.

The Deposit – Lenders want at least twenty percent as a deposit or insurance and third party guarantees. Government programs guarantee loans with small deposits; you have to pay an insurance premium on low deposit loans

Escrow and Closing – There will be fees for loan origination and third-party services that confirm the quality of that you either pay when you close on the home or which will add to the balance of your loan. You will purchase title insurance against any claims by previous owners or their heirs.

How it works – The funds go from the lender to the seller via the escrow or title company along with your deposit contribution. You have set payments that pay interest on the balance you owe and a small amount to repaying the principal of

When you start paying a new mortgage the interest takes most of the payment, only a small part contributes to your repayment of principal. As time goes by, your principal accumulates as equity; the interest becomes a smaller fraction, and you repay more principal each month. Toward the end of the term, you are paying mostly principal, and the balance diminishes until there is no more interest to pay and you are done.

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