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Amortization The gradual repayment of a mortgage by installments. As you pay back the loan, an increasing amount of each payment is applied to principal and a lesser amount is applied to interest. Amortization is also a process of spreading a cost that is incurred upfront over the term of the loan or life of the asset. | |
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) Federal law that requires lenders and other creditors to make credit equally available without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status or receipt of income from public assistance programs. | |
Foreclosure A termination of the rights of the mortgagor in the property covered by the mortgage; a court process instituted by a mortgagee or lien creditor to defeat any interest or equity of redemption which the mortgagor or debtor-owner may have in the property. | |
Underwriting Underwriting involves an analysis of the borrower's creditworthiness (debts and assets, employment history, property evaluation, and other factors to determine an appropriate rate, term & loan amount. | |