A mortgage is simply a loan from either a bank or other leading financial institution which assists a consumer buy a house. The collateral on such loans is usually your house itself, which means that if you default on your loan and stop making payments, then the bank can repossess your house and recoup its cash. People who take on a mortgage loan normally need to have a good credit rating and this is because the bank would consider you to be more of a risk than someone without a good credit rating. If you have good credit, then you are less likely to default on your mortgage. In general, when taking out a mortgage, it is better to have a secure one, rather than an unsecured one. One of the main reasons why homeowners take out a mortgage loan is to pay off the existing debt, but an amortization schedule is not fixed and does not follow a strict pattern. This means that over time, you will end up paying a large amount of interest on your mortgage. It is important to keep track of your amortization in order to avoid overpaying for your mortgage. Amortization works by dividing the amount you have borrowed into equal monthly payments. If you were to only add up the principal amounts, you could easily forget about your amortization, as you would think that each payment you make will be relatively small compared to the total of the principal amounts you owe. The best way to avoid paying too much interest is to remember to make your mortgage payments on time, and always check with the lender whether there are additional fees applicable to you. Sometimes lenders can vary their terms of repayment. You should always get all relevant information on mortgage loans before taking them up. You may also want to read up on mortgage loans and general mortgage policies available in the market.