| A to |
Z |
| |
adjustment
date
The date on which the interest rate
changes for an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM). |
| |
adjustment
period
The period that elapses between the
adjustment dates for an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM). |
| |
amortization
The repayment of a mortgage loan by installments with regular
payments to cover the principal and interest. |
| |
amortization
term
The amount of time required to amortize the mortgage loan. The
amortization term is expressed as a number of months. For example,
for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the amortization term is 360
months. A 15-year fixed-rate mortgage has an amortization
term of 180 months. |
| |
annual
percentage rate (APR)
The cost of a mortgage stated as a yearly rate; includes such
items as interest, mortgage insurance, and loan origination fee
(points). |
| |
application
A form, commonly referred to as a 1003 form, used to apply for a
mortgage and to provide information regarding a prospective
mortgagor and the proposed security. |
| |
appraisal
A written analysis of the estimated value of a property prepared
by a qualified, licensed appraiser. |
| |
appraiser
A person qualified by education, training, and experience to
estimate the value of real property and personal property. |
| |
appreciation
An increase in the value of a property due to changes in market
conditions or other causes. The opposite of depreciation. |
| |
asset
Anything of monetary value that is owned by a person. Assets
include real property, personal property, and enforceable claims
against others (including bank accounts, stocks, mutual funds, and
so on). |
| |
assignment
The transfer of a mortgage from one person to another. |
| |
assumable
mortgage
A mortgage that can be taken over ("assumed") by the
buyer when a home is sold. |
| |
assumption
The transfer of the seller's
existing mortgage to the buyer. |
| |
assumption
clause
A provision in an assumable
mortgage that allows a buyer to assume responsibility for the
mortgage from the seller. The loan does not need to be paid in
full by the original borrower upon sale or transfer of the
property. |
| |
assumption
fee
The fee paid to a lender (usually by the purchaser of real
property) resulting from the assumption of an existing mortgage. |
| |
balance
sheet
A financial statement that shows assets, liabilities, and net
worth as of a specific date. |
| |
balloon
mortgage
A mortgage that has level monthly payments that will amortize it
over a stated term but that provides for a lump sum payment to be
due at the end of an earlier specified term. |
| |
balloon
payment
The final lump sum payment that is made at the maturity date of a
balloon mortgage. |
| |
bankrupt
A person, firm, or corporation that, through a court proceeding,
is relieved from the payment of all debts after the surrender of
all assets to a court-appointed trustee. |
| |
bankruptcy
A proceeding in a federal court in which a debtor who owes more
than his or her assets can relieve the debts by transferring his
or her assets to a trustee. |
| |
basis point
A basis point is 1/100th of a percentage point. For example, a fee
calculated as 50 basis points of a loan amount of $100,000 would
be 0.50% or $500. |
| |
before-tax
income
Income before taxes are deducted. IRS Form 1040 line 39. |
| |
beneficiary
The person designated to receive the income from a trust, estate,
or a deed of trust. |
| |
binder
A preliminary agreement, secured by the payment of an earnest
money deposit, under which a buyer offers to purchase real estate. |
| |
biweekly
payment mortgage
A mortgage that requires payments to reduce the debt every two
weeks (instead of the standard monthly payment schedule). The 26
(or possibly 27) biweekly payments are each equal to one-half of
the monthly payment that would be required if the loan were a
standard 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, and they are usually drafted
from the borrower's bank account. The result for the borrower is a
substantial savings in interest. |
| |
blanket
mortgage
The mortgage that is secured by a cooperative project, as opposed
to the share loans on individual units within the project. |
| |
bond
An interest-bearing certificate of debt with a maturity date. An
obligation of a government or business corporation. A real estate
bond is a written obligation usually secured by a mortgage or a
deed of trust. |
| |
breach
A violation of any legal obligation. |
| |
bridge loan
A form of second trust that is collateralized by the borrower's
present home (which is usually for sale) in a manner that allows
the proceeds to be used for closing on a new house before the
present home is sold. Also known as "swing loan." |
| |
broker
A person who, for a commission or a fee, brings parties together
and assists in negotiating contracts between them. |
| |
buydown
mortgage
A temporary buydown is a mortgage on which an initial lump sum
payment is made by any party to reduce a borrower's monthly
payments during the first few years of a mortgage. A permanent
buydown reduces the interest rate over the entire life of a
mortgage. |
| |
call
option
A provision in the mortgage that gives the mortgagee the right to
call the mortgage due and payable at the end of a specified period
for whatever reason. |
| |
cap
A provision of an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) that limits how
much the interest rate or mortgage payments may increase or
decrease. |
| |
capital
improvement
Any structure or component erected as a permanent improvement to
real property that adds to its value and useful life. |
| |
cash-out
refinance
A refinance transaction in which the amount of money received from
the new loan exceeds the total of the money needed to repay the
existing first mortgage, closing costs, points, and the amount
required to satisfy any outstanding subordinate mortgage liens. In
other words, a refinance transaction in which the borrower
receives additional cash that can be used for any purpose. |
| |
Certificate
of Eligibility
A document issued by the federal government certifying a veteran's
eligibility for a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgage. |
| |
Certificate of
Reasonable Value (CRV)
A document issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that
establishes the maximum value and loan amount for a VA mortgage. |
| |
certificate
of title
A statement provided by an abstract company, title company, or
attorney stating that the title to real estate is legally held by
the current owner. |
| |
chain of
title
The history of all of the documents that transfer title to a
parcel of real property, starting with the earliest existing
document and ending with the most recent. |
| |
change
frequency
The frequency (in months) of payment and/or interest rate changes
in an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM). |
| |
clear
title
A title that is free of liens or legal questions as to ownership
of the property. |
| |
closing
A meeting at which a sale of a property is finalized by the buyer
signing the mortgage documents and paying closing costs. Also
called "settlement." |
| |
closing
cost item
A fee or amount that a home buyer must pay at closing for a single
service, tax, or product. Closing costs are made up of individual
closing cost items such as origination fees and attorney's fees.
Many closing cost items are included as numbered items on the
HUD-1 statement. Expenses (over and above the price of the
property) incurred by buyers and sellers in transferring ownership
of a property. Closing costs normally include a processing fee, an
attorney's fee, flood certification, reconveyance fees, recording
fees, courier fees, underwriting fees, administration fees, taxes,
an amount placed in escrow, and charges for obtaining title
insurance and a survey. Closing costs percentage will vary
according to the area of the country. Closing costs can
range from $1200-$3000 in addition to the loan origination fee. |
| |
closing
statement
Also referred to as the HUD-1. The final statement of costs
incurred to close on a loan or to purchase a home. |
| |
cloud on
title
Any conditions revealed by a title search that adversely affect
the title to real estate. Usually clouds on title cannot be
removed except by a quitclaim deed, release, or court action. |
| |
collateral
An asset (such as a car or a home) that guarantees the repayment
of a loan. The borrower risks losing the asset if the loan is not
repaid according to the terms of the loan contract. In the
case of a mortgage loan, the real property is typically the
collateral. |
| |
collection
The efforts used to bring a delinquent mortgage current and to
file the necessary notices to proceed with foreclosure when
necessary. |
| |
combination
loan
With this type of loan, you receive a first mortgage for 80
percent of the loan amount, and a second mortgage at the same time
for the remainder of the balance. If avoiding PMI (mortgage
insurance) is important to you, consider combination loans--known
as 80/10/10 loans or 80/20's. |
| |
combined
loan-to-value (CLTV)
The unpaid principal balances of all the mortgages on a property
(first and second usually) divided by the property's appraised
value. |
| |
co-maker
or co-borrower
A person who signs a promissory note along with the borrower. A
co-maker's signature guarantees that the loan will be repaid,
because the borrower and the co-maker are equally responsible for
the repayment. See endorser. |
| |
commission
The fee charged by a broker or agent for negotiating a real estate
or loan transaction. A commission is generally a percentage of the
price of the property or loan. |
| |
commitment
letter
A formal offer by a lender stating the terms under which it agrees
to lend money to a home buyer. Also known as a "loan
commitment." |
| |
common areas
Those portions of a building, land, and amenities owned (or
managed) by a planned unit development (PUD) or condominium
project's homeowners' association (or a cooperative project's
cooperative corporation) that are used by all of the unit owners,
who share in the common expenses of their operation and
maintenance. Common areas include swimming pools, tennis courts,
and other recreational facilities, as well as common corridors of
buildings, parking areas, means of ingress and egress, etc. |
| |
Community
Home Improvement Mortgage Loan
An alternative financing option that allows low- and
moderate-income home buyers to obtain 95 percent financing for the
purchase and improvement of a home in need of modest repairs. The
repair work can account for as much as 30 percent of the appraised
value. |
| |
community
property
In some western and southwestern states, a form of ownership under
which property acquired during a marriage is presumed to be owned
jointly unless acquired as separate property of either spouse. |
| |
comparables
An abbreviation for "comparable properties"; used for
comparative purposes in the appraisal process. Comparables are
properties like the property under consideration; they have
reasonably the same size, location , and amenities and have
recently been sold. Comparables help the appraiser determine the
approximate fair market value of the subject property. |
| |
condominium
A real estate project in which each unit owner has title to a unit
in a building, an undivided interest in the common areas of the
project, and sometimes the exclusive use of certain limited common
areas. |
| |
condominium
conversion
Changing the ownership of an existing building (usually a rental
project) to the condominium form of ownership. |
| |
conforming
loan
Loans that follow the strictest guidelines for eligibility as to
loan sizes, credit score, rates, income and residence stability,
savings and reserves habits etc. These loans are eligible for sale
and delivery to either Fannie Mae (FNMA) or Freddie Mac (FHLMC).
The current conforming loan limit is $322,700 and below.
Conforming loan limits change annually. (See Non-conforming
Loan) |
| |
construction
loan
A short-term, interim loan for financing the cost of construction.
The lender makes payments to the builder at periodic intervals as
the work progresses. |
| |
consumer
reporting agency (or bureau)
An organization that prepares reports that are used by lenders to
determine a potential borrower's credit history. The agency
obtains data for these reports from a credit repository as well as
from other sources. |
| |
contingency
A condition that must be met before a contract is legally binding.
For example, home purchasers often include a contingency that
specifies that the contract is not binding until the purchaser
obtains a satisfactory home inspection report from a qualified
home inspector. |
| |
contract
An oral or written agreement to do or not to do a certain thing. |
| |
conventional
mortgage
A mortgage that is not insured or guaranteed by the federal
government. |
| |
convertibility
clause
A provision in some adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) that allows
the borrower to change the ARM to a fixed-rate mortgage at
specified timeframes after loan origination. |
| |
convertible
ARM
An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) that can be converted to a
fixed-rate mortgage under specified conditions. |
| |
cooperative
(co-op)
A type of multiple ownership in which the residents of a multiunit
housing complex own shares in the cooperative corporation that
owns the property, giving each resident the right to occupy a
specific apartment or unit. |
| |
corporate
relocation
Arrangements under which an employer moves an employee to another
area as part of the employer's normal course of business or under
which it transfers a substantial part or all of its operations and
employees to another area because it is relocating its
headquarters or expanding its office capacity. |
| |
cost of funds
index (COFI)
An index that is used to determine interest rate changes for
certain adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) plans. It represents the
weighted-average cost of savings, borrowings, and advances of the
11th District members of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San
Francisco. |
| |
covenant
A clause in a mortgage that obligates or restricts the borrower
and that, if violated, can result in foreclosure. |
| |
credit
An agreement in which a borrower receives something of value in
exchange for a promise to repay the lender at a later date. |
| |
credit
history
A record of an individual's open and fully repaid debts. A credit
history helps a lender to determine whether a potential borrower
has a history of repaying debts in a timely manner. |
| |
credit
report
A report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit
bureau and used by a lender in determining a loan applicant's
creditworthiness. |
| |
credit
repository
An organization that gathers, records, updates, and stores
financial and public records information about the payment records
of individuals who are being considered for credit. |
| |
debt
An amount owed to another. |
| |
deed
The legal document conveying title to a property. |
| |
deed-in-lieu
A deed given by a mortgagor to the mortgagee to satisfy a debt and
avoid foreclosure. |
| |
deed of
trust
The document used in some states instead of a mortgage; title is
conveyed to a trustee. |
| |
default
Failure to make mortgage payments on a timely basis or to comply
with other requirements of a mortgage. |
| |
delinquency
Failure to make mortgage payments when mortgage payments are due. |
| |
deposit
A sum of money given to bind the sale of real estate, or a sum of
money given to ensure payment or an advance of funds in the
processing of a loan. |
| |
depreciation
A decline in the value of property; the opposite of appreciation. |
| |
down
payment
The part of the purchase price of a property that the buyer pays
in cash and does not finance with a mortgage. |
| |
due-on-sale
provision
A provision in a mortgage that allows the lender to demand
repayment in full if the borrower sells the property that serves
as security for the mortgage. |
| |
earnest
money deposit
A deposit made by the potential home buyer to show that he or she
is serious about buying the house. |
| |
easement
A right of way giving persons other than the owner access to or
over a property. |
| |
effective
age
An appraiser's estimate of the physical condition of a building.
The actual age of a building may be shorter or longer than its
effective age. |
| |
effective
gross income
Normal annual income including overtime that is regular or
guaranteed. The income may be from more than one source. Salary is
generally the principal source, but other income may qualify if it
is significant and stable. |
| |
eighty-ten-ten
loan
See "combination loan". 80/10/10 |
| |
encumbrance
Anything that affects or limits the fee simple title to a
property, such as mortgages, leases, easements, or restrictions. |
| |
endorser
A person who signs ownership interest over to another party.
Contrast with co-maker. |
| |
Equal Credit
Opportunity Act (ECOA)
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
A homeowner's financial interest in a property. Equity is the
difference between the fair market value of the property and the
amount still owed on its mortgage. |
| |
escrow
An item of value, money, or documents deposited with a third party
to be delivered upon the fulfillment of a condition. For example,
the deposit by a borrower with the lender of funds to pay taxes
and insurance premiums when they become due, or the deposit of
funds or documents with an attorney or escrow agent to be
disbursed upon the closing of a sale of real estate. |
| |
escrow
account
The account in which a mortgage servicer holds the borrower's
escrow payments prior to paying property expenses. |
| |
escrow
analysis
The periodic examination of escrow accounts to determine if
current monthly deposits will provide sufficient funds to pay
taxes, insurance, and other bills when due. |
| |
escrow
collections
Funds collected by the servicer and set aside in an escrow account
to pay the borrower's property taxes, mortgage insurance, and
hazard insurance. |
| |
escrow
disbursements
The use of escrow funds to pay real estate taxes, hazard
insurance, mortgage insurance, and other property expenses as they
become due. |
| |
escrow
payment
The portion of a mortgagor's monthly payment that is held by the
servicer to pay for taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance,
lease payments, and other items as they become due. Known as
"impounds" or "reserves" in some states. |
| |
estate
The ownership interest of an individual in real property. The sum
total of all the real property and personal property owned by an
individual at time of death. |
| |
eviction
The lawful expulsion of an occupant from real property. |
| |
examination
of title
The report on the title of a property from the public records or
an abstract of the title. |
| |
Fair
Credit Reporting Act
A consumer protection law that regulates the disclosure of
consumer credit reports by consumer/credit reporting agencies and
establishes procedures for correcting mistakes on one's credit
record. |
| |
fair
market value
The highest price that a buyer, willing but not compelled to buy,
would pay, and the lowest a seller, willing but not compelled to
sell, would accept. |
| |
Fannie
Mae
A congressionally chartered, shareholder-owned company that is the
nation's largest supplier of home mortgage funds. |
| |
Fannie
Mae's Community Home Buyer's Program
An income-based community lending model, under which mortgage
insurers and Fannie Mae offer flexible underwriting guidelines to
increase a low- or moderate-income family's buying power and to
decrease the total amount of cash needed to purchase a home.
Borrowers who participate in this model are required to attend
pre-purchase home-buyer education sessions. |
| |
Federal Housing
Administration (FHA)
An agency of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD). Its main activity is the insuring of residential mortgage
loans made by private lenders. The FHA sets standards for
construction and underwriting but does not lend money or plan or
construct housing. |
| |
fee
simple
The greatest possible interest a person can have in real estate. |
| |
FHA
mortgage
A mortgage that is insured by the Federal Housing Administration
(FHA). Also known as a government mortgage. |
| |
finder's fee
A fee or commission paid to a mortgage broker for finding a
mortgage loan for a prospective borrower. |
| |
first
adjustment
When you can expect the first rate adjustment in your ARM loan. |
| |
first
mortgage
A mortgage that is the primary lien against a property. |
| |
fixed-rate
mortgage (FRM)
A mortgage in which the interest rate does not change during the
entire term of the loan. |
| |
fixed
second mortgage
See home equity loan. |
| |
flood
insurance
Insurance that compensates for physical property damage resulting
from flooding. It is required for properties located in federally
designated flood areas. |
| |
foreclosure
The legal process by which a borrower in default under a mortgage
is deprived of his or her interest in the mortgaged property. This
usually involves a forced sale of the property at public auction
with the proceeds of the sale being applied to the mortgage debt. |
| |
fully
amortized ARM
An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) with a monthly payment that is
sufficient to amortize the remaining balance, at the interest
accrual rate, over the amortization term. |
| |
good
faith estimate
An estimate of charges which a borrower is likely to incur in
connection with a settlement. |
| |
hazard
insurance
Insurance protecting against loss to real estate caused by fire,
some natural causes, vandalism, etc., depending upon the terms of
the policy. |
| |
home
equity line of credit
a credit line that is secured by a second deed of trust on a
house. Equity lines of credit are revolving accounts that work
like a credit card, which can be paid down or charged up for the
term of the loan. The minimum payment due each month is interest
only. |
| |
home
equity loan
a loan secured by a second deed of trust on a house, typically
used as a home improvement loan. |
| |
housing ratio
The ratio of the monthly housing payment in total (PITI -
Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance) divided by the gross
monthly income. This ratio is sometimes referred to as the top
ratio or front end ratio. |
| |
HUD
The U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development. |
| |
index
A published interest rate to which the interest rate on an
Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) is tied. Some commonly used indices
include the 1 Year Treasury Bill, 6 Month LIBOR, and the 11th
District Cost of Funds (COFI). |
| |
Impound
Account
An impound account is an account established by the lender to pay
a borrower's tax and insurance costs. The borrower's monthly
mortgage payment is then increased to cover these costs, with the
additional amount being held in the impound account and disbursed
by the lender when the payments are due. Lenders typically prefer
this arrangement because it reduces the possibility of a lapse in
tax or insurance payments that could diminish the value of the
lender's investment (your house). Therefore, while it is often
possible to opt out of an impound account it will result in
additional charges. |
| |
Interest-only
loan option
Loan payments have two components, principal and interest. An
interest-only loan has no principal payment for a specified period
of time. These special loans minimize your monthly payments by
eliminating the need to pay down your balance during the
interest-only period, giving you greater cash flow control and/or
increased purchasing power. |
| |
jumbo
mortgage
The current loan limit for a conforming loan is $300,700. Loan
amounts of $300,701 and above are considered non-conforming or
jumbo mortgages and are usually subject to higher pricing. |
| |
lien
An encumbrance against property for money due, either voluntary or
involuntary. |
| |
lender
The bank, mortgage company, or mortgage broker offering the loan. |
| |
LIBOR
LIBOR stands for London Inter-Bank Offered Rate. This is a
favorable interest rate offered for U.S. dollar deposits between a
group of London banks. There are several different LIBOR rates,
defined by the maturity of their deposit. The LIBOR is an
international index that follows world economic conditions.
LIBOR-indexed ARMs offer borrowers aggressive initial rates and
have proven to be competitive with popular ARM indexes like the
Treasury bill. |
| |
lifetime cap
A provision of an ARM that limits the highest rate that can occur
over the life of the loan. |
| |
loan to value
ratio (LTV)
The unpaid principal balance of the mortgage on a property divided
by the property's appraised value. The LTV will affect programs
available to the borrower and generally, the lower the LTV the
more favorable the terms of the programs offered by lenders. |
| |
lock period
The amount of time that a lender will guarantee a loan's interest
rate. Once you've locked in the interest rate on a loan, the
lender will guarantee that rate for a certain period of time,
usually for 30, 45 or 60 days. |
| |
lock-in
A written agreement guaranteeing the home buyer a specified
interest rate provided the loan is closed within a set period of
time. The lock-in also usually specifies the number of points to
be paid at closing. |
| |
margin
The number of percentage points a lender adds to the index value
to calculate the ARM interest rate at each adjustment period. |
| |
mortgage
A legal document that pledges a property to the lender as security
for payment of a debt |
| |
mortgage
disability insurance
A disability insurance policy which will pay the monthly mortgage
payment in the event of a covered disability of an insured
borrower for a specified period of time. |
| |
mortgage
insurance (MI)
Insurance written by an independent mortgage insurance company
protecting the mortgage lender against loss incurred by a mortgage
default. Usually required for loans with an LTV of 80.01% or
higher. |
| |
mortgagee
The person or company who receives the mortgage as a pledge for
repayment of the loan. The mortgage lender. |
| |
mortgagor
The mortgage borrower who gives the mortgage as a pledge to repay. |
| |
no income
verification
See "stated income". |
| |
non-conforming
loan
Loans offered in a range of programs which are tailored to
individual circumstances. We know people are not absolutely
perfect. Also included are jumbo loans. Conventional home
mortgages not eligible for sale and delivery to either Fannie Mae
(FNMA) or Freddie Mac (FHLMC) because of various reasons,
including loan amount, loan characteristics or underwriting
guidelines. Non-conforming loans usually incur a rate and
origination fee premium. The current non-conforming jumbo loan
limit is $322,701 and above. (See conforming
loan) |
| |
note
A written agreement containing a promise of the signer to pay to a
named person, or order, or bearer, a definite sum of money at a
specified date or on demand. |
| |
origination
fee
A fee imposed by a lender to cover certain processing expenses in
connection with making a real estate loan. Usually a percentage of
the amount loaned, such as one percent. |
| |
owner
financing
A property purchase transaction in which the property seller
provides all or part of the financing. |
| |
periodic
cap
The maximum rate increase for a specific period for a specific
loan (ARM) only. |
| |
PITI
Principal, interest, taxes and insurance--the components of a
monthly mortgage payment. |
| |
Planned Unit
Developments (PUD)
A subdivision of five or more individually owned lots with one or
more other parcels owned in common or with reciprocal rights in
one or more other parcels. |
| |
points
Charges levied by the mortgage lender and usually payable at
closing. One point represents 1% of the face value of the mortgage
loan. |
| |
prepaids
Those expenses of property which are paid in advance of their due
date and will usually be prorated upon sale, such as taxes,
insurance, rent, etc. |
| |
prepayment
penalty
A charge imposed by a mortgage lender on a borrower who wants to
pay off part or all of a mortgage loan in advance of schedule. |
| |
principal
Amount of debt, not including interest. The face value of a note
or mortgage. |
| |
private
mortgage insurance (PMI)
Insurance provided by non-government insurers that protects
lenders against loss if a borrower defaults. Fannie Mae generally
requires private mortgage insurance for loans with loan-to-value
(LTV) percentages greater than 80%. |
| |
qualifying
ratios
The ratio of your fixed monthly expenses to your gross monthly
income, used to determine how much you can afford to borrow. The
fixed monthly expenses would include PITI along with other
obligations such as student loans, car loans, or credit card
payments. |
| |
rate
The annual rate of interest on a loan, expressed as a percentage
of 100. |
| |
rate cap
A limit on how much the interest rate can change, either at each
adjustment period or over the life of the loan. |
| |
rate
lock-in
A written agreement in which the lender guarantees the borrower a
specified interest rate, provided the loan closes within a set
period of time. |
| |
rebate
Compensation received from a wholesale lender which can be used to
cover closing costs or as a refund to the borrower. Loans with
rebates often carry higher interest rates than loans with
"points" (see above). |
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refinancing
The process of paying off one loan with the proceeds from a new
loan using the same property as security. |
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residential
mortgage credit report (RMCR)
A report requested by your lender that utilizes information from
at least two of the three national credit bureaus and information
provided on your loan application. Necessary to make a decision on
your application. |
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seller carry
back
An agreement in which the owner of a property provides financing,
often in combination with an assumed mortgage. |
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stated
income
Some loan products require only that applicants "state"
the source of their income without providing supporting
documentation such as tax returns. These loans usually require the
borrower to sign an IRS Form 4506. |
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survey
A print showing the measurements of the boundaries of a parcel of
land, together with the location of all improvements on the land
and sometimes its area and topography. |
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tenants-in-common
An undivided interest in property taken by two or more persons.
The interest need not be equal. Upon death of one or more persons,
there is no right of survivorship. |
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term
The period of time which covers the life of the loan. For example,
a 30 year fixed loan has a term of 30 years. |
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title
The evidence one has of right to possession of land. |
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title
insurance
Insurance against loss resulting from defects of title to a
specifically described parcel of real property. |
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title
search
An investigation into the history of ownership of a property to
check for liens, unpaid claims, restrictions or problems, to prove
that the seller can transfer free and clear ownership. |
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total
debt ratio
Monthly debt and housing payments divided by gross monthly income.
Also known as Obligations-to-Income Ratio or Back-End Ratio. |
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Truth-in-Lending Act
A federal law requiring a disclosure of credit terms using a
standard format. This is intended to facilitate comparisons
between the lending terms of different financial institutions. |
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Veterans
Administration (VA)
A government agency guaranteeing mortgage loans with no down
payment to qualified veterans. |