Every loan usually needs a security which can be legally claimed by the lender when the borrower does not meet the terms of a loan. When the loan satisfies the purpose of buying a house and the same house risk as security, the loan taken is known as a mortgage loan. This mortgage loan legally allows the lender to claim the house in case the conditions set at the time of the loan are not met.

The mortgage is composed of interest and principal, and it is to be paid on a monthly basis. A part of the entire sum borrowed is the principle which reduces the sum to be returned with time. Interest is the price paid for borrowing the amount. A monthly mortgage includes taxes and insurance in addition to the components mentioned above. The local government receives these tax payments which are variable on the basis of the location of the property. This form of tax is reassessed on a yearly basis. The insurance paid as a part of this payment is known as the property mortgage insurance (PMI) and contains the hazard and mortgage insurance. Hazard insurance saves the lender and borrower from property losses while mortgage insurance takes care of the lender if the borrower fails in meeting his end of terms. FHA loan approvals also protect the buyers from defaults while repaying the loan. PMI is automatically dismissed either at the midpoint of the loan time or when the LTV (loan to value) reaches 78%.

It is better to find your source for a mortgage loan before the actual house itself for a pre-approval. A mortgage can be obtained from banks, non-bank lenders and mortgage brokers. A mortgage loan can last for years and sometimes decades. Hence it is very important to estimate your budgets and plan according to what you can afford rather than improvisation. Before shopping for a mortgage, make sure you have your information straight regarding the budget you can put down on the house, how much you can afford to pay on a monthly basis and every payment associated with the process down to the smallest one.