Amerisave Logo
Amerisave Logo

Glossary of Mortgage Terms

Explore commonly used mortgage terms that are frequently used by AmeriSave Mortgage.
Single-Family Home

A single-family home is a freestanding residential property built on its own lot, designed to house one household, with no shared walls, roof structures, or utilities connecting it to another dwelling.

Spec House

A spec house is a new home built by a builder or developer without a specific buyer in mind. It is meant to be sold on the open market based on current real estate demand and popular design trends.

Special Assessment Tax

Your local government uses a special assessment tax, which is an extra charge on your property tax bill, to pay for a specific neighborhood improvement, such as new roads or sewer lines.

Subordination Agreement

A subordination agreement is a legal document that changes the priority order of liens on your property, letting one lender move ahead of another in the repayment line.

Sweat Equity

Sweat equity is the increase in a property's value that comes from the homeowner's own work and improvements, not from hiring professionals to do the work.

Recent Articles

Bridge Loan vs. HELOC: How to Choose the Right Way to Fund Your Next Move in 2026

Bridge Loan vs. HELOC: How to Choose the Right Way to Fund Your Next Move in 2026

Why This Choice Trips Up Even Careful Home Buyers The worst advice home buyers get when they are trying to buy and sell at the same time is that a bridge loan...

Closing Costs in California: Your 2026 Home Buyer's Guide to Fees, Taxes, and What You Actually Pay

Closing Costs in California: Your 2026 Home Buyer's Guide to Fees, Taxes, and What You Actually Pay

What Closing Costs Really Mean for a California Home Buyer Buying a home in California is exciting right up until someone hands you a stack of numbers and asks...

California Jumbo Loan Limits for 2026: What Makes a Loan Jumbo, How to Qualify, and How to Decide

California Jumbo Loan Limits for 2026: What Makes a Loan Jumbo, How to Qualify, and How to Decide

What makes a mortgage jumbo in California The most common misunderstanding I've run into about jumbo loans is that they're only for mansions and luxury buyers....