Adjustable Rate Mortgage: A loan that adjusts on a regular schedule. Also called “variable rate mortgage.”
Amortization: The process of paying off a loan with regular payments over a fixed time period.
Amortization Schedule: A timetable for payment of a mortgage showing the amounts of each payment that are applied to interest and principal, as well as the remaining balance.
Application Fee: A one-time fee charged by a lender for processing a borrower’s application for a mortgage loan.
Appraisal: A professional opinion of the market value of a property.
Appreciation: An increase in the value of a house due to changes in market conditions, home improvements or other factors.
Assessed Value: The value placed on a house by a public tax assessor for the purpose of determining property taxes.
Asset: Anything an individual owns that has commercial or exchange value.
Biweekly Mortgage: A loan in which you qualify for a 30-year schedule of monthly payments, but make payments every two weeks to pay off the loan sooner and save money on interest charges.
Borrower: The person who obtains a mortgage loan.
Budget: A financial plan for spending and saving money. Also called “spending plan.”
Buy—Downs: Points a borrower pays in advance to lower the interest rate. Also called “discount points.”
Buyer’s Agent: A real estate professional who enters into a contract-of-agency relationship with the buyer and typically gets paid by splitting the sales commission with the selling, or listing, agent.
