What is a Mortgage?
John Mussi
A mortgage is a loan, from a bank or building society that is secured against your house or flat. You have to pay back everything you borrow from your lender within an agreed length of time (the mortgage term). You also have to pay interest on what you have borrowed.
A mortgage is a loan you take out to buy property. Most banks and building societies offer mortgages, as well as specialist mortgage lending companies.
To repay the mortgage you either make monthly repayments of interest and capital, or you pay interest only each month then repay the loan at the end of the mortgage term from separate savings or investments.
The purpose of a mortgage is, quite simply, to enable a person to borrow money using the property as security. As the prices of houses are beyond the immediate personal resources of most purchasers, it is necessary to enter into a borrowing agreement with a lender.
A mortgage is therefore a form of a secured loan, whereby the lender agrees to lend a person the money to enable them to purchase a property. This loan is secured against the property by a legal charge and is subject to the purchaser and the property being able to meet the lender's criteria. This loan is then paid back over a period of time along with the interest charged by the lender.
In most cases lenders will offer three times a single person's salary or two-and-a-half times the borrowers' joint salaries. However you should consider whether your budget can afford the repayments before borrowing to the hilt.
A mortgage is a long term financial commitment with repayments typically spread over a term of up to 25 years. However in practice, people often sell their house before the end of the mortgage period. The original loan is then repaid from the sale of the first house and a new loan is taken out to buy the new home.
Each joint borrower is individually liable for the amount of the loan and interest due to the lender and is always responsible for the full amount outstanding. Events such as separation, divorce, unemployment, long term sickness, injury or disability could ultimately cause a house to be sold and the mortgage to be terminated. The early repayment of a loan can have different financial consequences depending on the type of mortgage involved.
Most mortgage lenders also require you to have a suitable life assurance policy, which would repay the borrowing in the event of death or critical illness. This ensures that, in these distressing circumstances, your house would not have to be sold to repay the mortgage.
You may find the perfect mortgage for you at your local building society. But shopping around could land you with a much better deal or alternatively you can use a mortgage broker. Mortgage brokers scour the market to find the most suitable deal for you. A good mortgage broker can save you time and money.
If you are in full-time employment the lender will ask for written evidence for example, payslips and your P60 for the past two years. They'll also probably write to your employer asking for confirmation.
If you're self-employed it more difficult to get a mortgage and as a result there are lenders who specialise in the self-employed. You would need to show three years audited accounts. If you haven't been in business long enough then the lender should accept a letter of confirmation from your accountant.
You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:
About the Author
John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.
The latest information and news on Mortgages:
Mortgage rates hit decades-low of 4.32 percent
Mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks, as investors worried about the economy.
Mortgage rates hit record low: Freddie Mac
U.S. mortgage rates fell in the past week to the latest in a series of record lows as yields on government debt dropped, according to a survey released on Thursday by Freddie Mac, the second-largest U.S. mortgage finance company.
Mortgage rates at record lows
WASHINGTON (AP) - Mortgage rates have fallen to the lowest level in decades for the tenth time in 11 weeks.
Mortgage rates still heading south
Mortgage interest rates have fallen for the 10th time in the last 11 weeks, according to Freddie Mac's report on what lenders are offering to borrowers with solid credit and 20% down payments or home equity. Freddie Mac's weekly survey...
Mortgage Bankers group spent $745K lobbying in 2Q
The Mortgage Bankers Association spent $745,000 in the second quarter to lobby the federal government on issues including banking regulations, housing issues and reforms to the financial system.
Yahoo! News Search Results for refinance
Home mortgage refinance rates are low
Home mortgage refinance rates are low right now. How can you capture the best rate?
Owners decide to keep EQT Plaza, refinance debt
The 32-story EQT Plaza, Downtown, has been pulled off the market as its owner, Blackstone Group of New York, has decided to refinance its debt and retain ownership.
Dana Blair of Love Funding Closes $6.56 Million Refinance Loan for Multifamil...
Dallas - Love Funding today announced that its Dallas office closed a $6,560,000 non-recourse loan for the refinance of Aspen Chase, a 288-unit multifamily housing complex located in Dallas.
More homeowners rush to refinance
Low rates means more homeowners are looking to refinance but a shaky housing market puts the damper on new mortgages.
Should you stretch out a refinance?
It might make more sense to increase the length of your mortgage to free up some cash.