Glossary of Mortgage Terms

Fannie Mae's HomePath is an online service that helps people buy homes that have been foreclosed on and are owned by Fannie Mae. These homes are often cheaper than similar homes for sale nearby.

HomeReady is a Fannie Mae conventional mortgage that lets qualified low-to-moderate income borrowers buy a home with as little as 3% down and reduced mortgage insurance costs.

Homes for Heroes programs help military members, first responders, teachers, and healthcare workers save money when buying, selling, or refinancing a home.

A homestead exemption is a legal protection that can lower the property taxes on your main home and keep some of your home equity safe from creditors.

A house deed is a legal document that shows that a seller has given a buyer ownership of a property and serves as permanent proof that the new owner owns the property.

People who are "house poor" spend so much of their income on housing costs that they can't pay for everyday things, save for the future, or have fun.

HUD is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a federal agency that oversees national housing policy, administers FHA mortgage insurance, enforces fair housing laws, and funds community development programs.

A housing bubble is a period of rapidly rising home prices driven by high demand, loose lending, or speculation that eventually collapses when the market can no longer support inflated values.

A HUD home is a house that was foreclosed on and bought with an FHA-insured mortgage. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development now owns it and sells it to the public, usually for less than market value.

With an installment loan, you get a large sum of money upfront and then pay it back in fixed, scheduled payments over a certain amount of time.