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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. |
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Federal Housing Administration (FHA)
An agency of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It insures residential mortgage loans made by private lenders. FHA also sets standards for underwriting mortgages. |
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Interest-only payments
Mortgage payments that include only interest. No loan amortization occurs and, thus, the homeowner does not accrue any equity (unless the home value increases). |
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Wraparound Mortgage
Results when an existing assumable loan is combined with a new loan, resulting in an interest rate somewhere between the old rate and the current market rate. The payments are made to a second lender or the previous homeowner, who then forwards the payments to the first lender after taking the additional amount off the top. |
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