Insurance Teacher

If you were to be asked to describe and give a definition for the word mortgage, would you be able to, because it is surprising how few people know what they really are. The worst thing to call one is a mortgage home loan and while this expression is in common usage, it is totally incorrect. There are three terms that you need to learn that are used: the first is mortgagor (the property owner), the mortgagee (the company that takes on the security for the property) and the mortgage (the contract to pay between the two). Actually, it is in fact a legal document that is designed to ensure the lenders financial interests are secure.

A mortgage is used as a method by which individuals or businesses can purchase residential or commercial property without paying the full value upfront. The following information will give a more rounded understanding of how the whole process operates. The mortgagor who is also referred to as the Borrower (leading to the false impression that it is a loan) and the mortgagee, who is also called the Lender (again, falsely leading you to think that a loan has been agreed). The property has a lien, which is the legal ownership of the property by the mortgagee until the agreement between the two parties has been fulfilled.

The property you are buying does in fact become collateral for the finance that has been sought to pay for it and is the protection a mortgagee needs if he is going to continue financing house purchases. This lien than becomes a matter of public record when it is registered at the county courthouse or equivalent. Ownership of the property is then yours and cannot be transferred to anyone else until you have paid off the amount required to reverse the lien. This situation may seem strange but in essence what it means is that the property is owned completely by the mortgagor and not the mortgagee who also does not have the title.

The only time the mortgagee has any rights over your property is in the event that you default on payments when he can sell it to recover the outstanding debt. In the unfortunate event that requires the property to be sold or Foreclosed, then the case will need to be presented to the courts for approval. This is done in order for it to be considered legal; this type of foreclosure is referred to as a judicial foreclosure. If you were unsure about the definition before and the subject surrounding it, I trust this information has been of use.

Share This

Filed under: Insurance Teacher