Home mortgage basics

by Judy Szablak 01/08/2023

Mortgage basics 101  featured image

As you step onto the road of homeownership, it may become evident, securing a mortgage to finance the purchase of your property is a necessity. A mortgage loan can give you more mobility and options as you search for a home best fitting your wants and needs. 

How do I get a home loan?

To secure a home loan, you’ll need to start with a pre-approval process in which you submit an application containing your ID information, credit history and financial information. Once you’re approved by your lender, you’re able to better budget for your home purchase and narrow down the home search. 

What is included in a mortgage payment?

Your monthly mortgage payments are comprised of four main units: tax, interest rate, insurance and the principal loan balance. The principal is the sum of money borrowed from the lender, while the interest rate is a fee attached onto the principal balance by the lender for borrowing their loan. 

Mortgage lenders may also collect property taxes owed to the state on your behalf. Homeowners insurance is often required when you take out mortgage loans to protect your home in the case of perils and payment is collected by your lender. 

Example of mortgage terms

A mortgage term is the length of time you agree to repay your loan balance. The most common mortgage term is 30 years, which offers lower monthly payments; however, shorter terms are available, often between 10 and 25 years. 

Shorter terms come with higher monthly payments, but you can save thousands of dollars on interest. 

Before committing to a mortgage loan, consider speaking with a lender to explore loan options best fitting your situation.



About the Author
Author

Judy Szablak

With over 30 years in the industry, Realtor Judy Szablak has been on national television for her real estate expertise on the HGTV Network, featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio "Morning Living” , NPR radio as an expert real estate panelist, It’s Relevant News channel, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal for her in depth knowledge of Fairfield County Connecticut real estate.

She was also on the local NPR radio station (WSHU) as a Fairfield County CT real estate expert. Judy has provided multiple online respected news sources with her real estate expertise including The Daily Easton, The Daily Weston, The Daily Fairfield, The Daily Stamford and The Daily Greenwich, as well as in print in the New York Post. She is a weekly Real Estate Columnist for WestportNow.com, another real estate column "Real Estate With Judy” is syndicated through Hearst CT Media Online and seen in The Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Time, The Hour, Fairfield Citizen, Westport News, Darien News, New Canaan News and the Wilton Villager.

 Judy is also the author of the book, The Art of Buying or Selling a Home, available at all major book retailers. Additionally, Judy has been nationally recognized in a number of national real estate trade magazines, some with distribution to over 1 million members. She was featured in Real Estate Today as early as 1994 for her commitment to, and implementation of technology in real estate. Judy appeared in the Certified Residential Specialist Magazine, as she provided advice on marketing strategies and ethics in the article titled "Marketing Makeovers.”

 Judy was also featured in REALTOR® Magazine, regarding image enhancement for Realtors. She was again featured in REALTOR® Magazine, in an article on "Achieving Flow” and operating at optimal peak performance. In another article in the same publication, Judy offered guidance to fellow real estate professionals as she explored the topic of implementing and maintaining personal websites. She has appeared in The Council of Residential Specialists Magazine, which featured her ideas regarding technology. Additionally, Judy authored an article on marketing and technology for the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Online Magazine. On two occasions, in 2015 and 2017, she appeared as a featured agent in Top Agent Magazine. I have a few other websites- www.TheCtrealtyBlog.com www.CtHomesAndRealEstate.com www.BestWestportHomes.com www.ThePetitePowerhouse.com www,SzablakConsulting.com