Glossary of Mortgage Terms

Your primary residence is the home where you spend most of the year. It also affects the mortgage rates you can get, the tax breaks you can claim, and the loan programs you can use.

Principal is the amount of money you borrow to buy a home, and interest is the fee your lender charges you for borrowing that money, with both making up the biggest share of your monthly mortgage payment.

Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, is a monthly fee your lender adds to your mortgage payment when you put less than 20% down on a conventional loan, and it protects the lender if you stop making payments.

A probate sale is a way for a court to sell real estate that belonged to someone who has died. The property must go through the legal system before it can be given to heirs or sold to buyers.

A promissory note is a legal document you sign at closing that spells out your promise to repay your mortgage loan under specific terms, including the interest rate, payment schedule, and total amount borrowed.

Property classification is how lenders, the IRS, and local governments put your home into one of three groups: primary residence, second home, or investment property.

A property line map is a drawing that shows the legal boundaries of a piece of land, including the size of the lot, any easements, and the locations of nearby roads and utilities.

Property tax is a fee that local governments charge you every year for the real estate you own. The amount you pay is based on the assessed value of your property and the tax rate in your area. The money goes to schools, roads, and other public services.

A purchase money mortgage is when the seller lends money to the buyer to pay for part or all of the sale. The buyer then pays the seller directly.

A qualified mortgage is a home loan that meets federal standards for responsible lending. These standards include limits on fees, a ban on risky loan features, and a check of the borrower's ability to repay.