A mortgage is basically a loan from an establishment such as a bank or some other major financial institution which helps a borrower to buy a house. In order to secure the loan a lot of research is done by people involved in the purchase of the property. This includes looking at what the house is like, what it is worth and what kind of mortgage rates are available from various lenders. They also do a lot of soul searching to see if there are any hidden charges or fees attached to the mortgage. Many times people have to pay a "house-hold" fee which is a one off payment made to the mortgage lender, which helps with the research. The house itself is the main investment that a person gets when they take out a mortgage. It is usually the biggest piece of real estate that you will ever own, and many people find it quite intimidating when they take out a mortgage. The property itself is the collateral for the mortgage, which means that if the borrower defaults on the loan and doesn't make regular monthly payments, then the lender can then repossess the house and recoup its value. This has a great psychological effect on the borrower because it makes them realise just how much of an asset they have up their sleeves and it makes them realise that they are completely responsible for making the monthly payments on the house. In addition to this, people need to factor in their ability to repay the mortgage loan when deciding on which mortgage to go for. People need to remember that they will have to pay a certain amount each month towards the mortgage. The more they pay in interest, the more money they will have to repay each month. When taking on any mortgage, it is important to get the best interest rate possible, but it is also important to get a fixed-rate mortgage so that you don't have to worry about interest rising. Both types of mortgage have their advantages and disadvantages. There are some mortgages that have both types of structure available on the market. Adjustable-rate mortgages generally require no balloon mortgage insurance; however, they will come with considerably higher interest rates than fixed-rate mortgages will offer. Balloon mortgage insurance is where the initial payment is for a lump sum and the remaining payments are done over a period of time. This type of mortgage can prove extremely expensive as the payments will be spread over a long period of time and this may leave many homeowners owing more in total monthly payments than they originally paid off. There is another type of adjustable-rate mortgage, however, and this is known as a negative amortization mortgage. A negative amortization mortgage requires the borrower to make certain payments that are larger than the principal amount each month. This type of mortgage generally requires a balloon insurance policy so that if payments are missed, the lenders are protected. On the whole, these two types of mortgage are very different from one another. Adjustable-rate mortgages will change with interest rates and can lead to extremely expensive payments if the interest rates drop lower than the loan's value. However, a negative amortization mortgage typically does not require any additional payments and is also fairly secure. Homeowners who take advantage of the adjustable-rate mortgage's lower interest rates should plan to pay off the loan by at least 30 years in order to avoid paying extra money in interest. For those homeowners who need a lower interest rate but would like to stick with a longer repayment period, a conventional loan may be the right choice. The conventional loan will also give you extra flexibility and give you the option to choose a longer term. In order to find out which type of mortgage will work best for your individual needs, talk with a qualified lender in your area or visit the website of a reputable lender where you can fill out an online application to get free quotes.