The Complete Dictionary of Mortgage & Lending Terms Explained Simply

Book excerpt: Lenders and prospective home buyers alike have turned their attention to financial news, carefully watching the market since the 2007 housing and credit crisis. Recently, mortgage rates continued to drop to historic lows, changing on a daily basis. With their fluctuating rates and the current economic climate, mortgages are as complicated as ever. Anyone interested in acquiring a mortgage, refinancing a current mortgage, or starting a business career in lending has probably heard financial professionals use unfamiliar terms. But, with a little help from this comprehensive dictionary, you can easily converse with professionals and understand industry jargon. The Complete Dictionary of Mortgage & Lending Terms Explained Simply explains all the important financial terms you will encounter as you navigate the mortgage market. With easy-to-understand definitions, this dictionary covers everything from accrued interest to wraparound mortgages. It covers types of mortgages, parts of loan agreements, types of insurance, and even home-inspection terms. This resource uses simple language to describe the many concepts it covers, ensuring that even those without any financial or real estate experience will understand the definitions. With more than 1,800 terms, this dictionary allows you to understand almost every term you come across during your encounter with the lending process, whether you are researching the difference between trusts and liens or examining a prospective home s features. In addition to outlining terms associated with lending, it also includes information about important legislative acts and federal agencies that affect financing. The handy A-to-Z organization allows you to quickly find any information you need, even during nerve-wracking negotiations. The definitions also include any abbreviated forms of the terms, so you will be able to tell your ARMs (adjustable-rate mortgages) from your REITs (real estate investment trusts). This guide defines the players, the problems, the process, and the procedures. Whether you are looking to buy a home, trying to refinance, taking a finance class, or simply curious about the mortgage and lending industry, this dictionary is an indispensable guide to the many terms, tools, and agreements you will encounter at every step of the complex lending process. Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president's garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.