Adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM)
A mortgage that does not have a fixed interest rate. The rate changes during the life of the loan in line with movements in an index rate, such as the rate for Treasury securities or the Cost of Funds Index.
Amortizing loan
Monthly payments are large enough to pay the interest and reduce the principal on your mortgage.
Cap, interest rate
A limit on the amount your interest rate can increase. Interest caps come in two versions:
Cap, payment
A limit on how much the monthly payment may change, either each time the payment changes or during the life of the mortgage. Payment caps do not limit the amount of interest the lender is earning, so they may lead to negative amortization.
Equity
The difference between the fair market value of the home and the outstanding mortgage balance.
Good faith estimate
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) requires your mortgage lender to give you a good faith estimate of all your closing costs within 3 business days of submitting your application for a loan, whether you are purchasing or refinancing a home. The actual expenses at closing may be somewhat different from the good faith estimate.
Index
The index is the measure of interest-rate changes that the lender uses to decide how much the interest rate on an ARM will change over time. No one can be sure when an index rate will go up or down. Some index rates tend to be higher than others, and some change more often. You should ask your lender how the index for any ARM you are considering has changed in recent years, and where the index is reported.
Interest
The price paid for borrowing money, usually given in percentages and as an annual rate.
Margin
The number of percentage points the lender adds to the index rate to calculate the ARM interest rate at each adjustment.
Negative amortization
Occurs when the monthly payments do not cover all the interest owed. The interest that is not paid in the monthly payment is added to the loan balance. This means that even after making many payments, you could owe more than you did at the beginning of the loan.
Prepayment penalty
Extra fees that may be due if you pay off the loan early by refinancing your home. These fees may make it too expensive to get out of the loan. If your loan includes a prepayment penalty, be aware of the penalty you would have to pay. Ask the lender if you can get a loan without a prepayment penalty, and what that loan would cost.
Principal
The amount of money borrowed or the amount still owed on a loan.
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