Payoff Amount

Your payoff amount is how much you will actually have to pay to satisfy the terms of your mortgage loan and completely pay off your debt. Your payoff amount is different from your current balance. Your current balance might not reflect how much you actually have to pay to completely satisfy the loan. Your payoff … Read more

Owner’s Title Insurance

Owner’s title insurance provides protection to the homeowner if someone sues and says they have a claim against the home from before the homeowner purchased it.  “Mortgage Key Terms.” Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/mortgages/answers/key-terms/. Accessed 21 May 2021. Legal Disclaimer: The content on this page provides general consumer information. It is not legal advice or regulatory guidance. New … Read more

Origination Fee

An origination fee is what the lender charges the borrower for making the mortgage loan.  The origination fee may include processing the application, underwriting and funding the loan, and other administrative services. Origination fees generally can only increase under certain circumstances.  “Mortgage Key Terms.” Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/mortgages/answers/key-terms/. Accessed 21 May 2021. Legal Disclaimer: The content on … Read more

Annual Income

Annual income is a factor in a mortgage loan application and generally refers to your total earned, pre-tax income over a year. Annual income may include income from full-time or part-time work, self-employment, tips, commissions, overtime, bonuses, or other sources.  A lender will use information about your annual income and your existing monthly debts to … Read more

Amount Financed

It means the amount of money you are borrowing from the lender, minus most of the upfront fees the lender is charging you.  “Mortgage Key Terms.” Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/mortgages/answers/key-terms/. Accessed 21 May 2021. Legal Disclaimer: The content on this page provides general consumer information. It is not legal advice or regulatory guidance. New Dwelling Mortgage updates … Read more

Amortization

Amortization means paying off a loan with regular payments over time so that the amount you owe decreases with each payment. Most home loans amortize, but some mortgage loans do not fully amortize, meaning that you would still owe money after making all of your payments. Some home loans allow payments that cover only the … Read more

Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM)

An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is a type of loan for which the interest rate can change, usually in relation to an index interest rate. Your monthly payment will go up or down depending on the loan’s introductory period, rate caps, and index interest rate. With an ARM, the interest rate and monthly payment may start … Read more

Ability to Repay Rule

The ability-to-repay rule is the reasonable and good faith determination most mortgage lenders are required to make that you are able to pay back the loan. “Mortgage Key Terms.” Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/mortgages/answers/key-terms/. Accessed 21 May 2021. Legal Disclaimer: The content on this page provides general consumer information. It is not legal advice or regulatory guidance. New Dwelling … Read more

5/1 Adjustable-Rate Mortgage

A 5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) or 5-year ARM is a mortgage loan where “5” is the number of years your initial interest rate will stay fixed. The “1” represents how often your interest rate will adjust after the initial five-year period ends. The most common fixed periods are 3, 5, 7, and 10 years and … Read more