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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. | |
Convertible ARM An adjustable-rate mortgage that can be converted to a fixed-rate mortgage under specified conditions. | |
Origination Fee The fee charged by a lender to prepare loan documents, make credit checks, inspect and sometimes appraise a property; usually computed as a percentage of the face value of the loan. Origination fees are paid by the lender or included in the loan as part of the closing costs. Lender's can also charge an origination fee to the borrower, when funding the mortgage with a table lending mortgage broker. Origination fees are considered tax deductible points. | |
Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAM) A mortgage in which a borrower receives a below-market interest rate in return for which the lender (or another investor such as a family member or other partner) receives a portion of the future appreciation in the value of the property. May also apply to mortgage where the borrowers shares the monthly principal and interest payments with another party in exchange for part of the appreciation. | |