A loan that is secured by property or real estate is called a mortgage. In exchange for funds received by the homebuyer to buy property or a home, a lender gets the promise of that buyer to pay back the funds within a certain time frame for a certain cost. The mortgage is legally binding and secures the note in giving the lender the right to have legal claim against the borrower’s home if the borrower defaults on the terms of the note. Basically, the borrower has possession of the property or the home, but the lender is the one who owns it until it is completely paid off.
A mortgage is a debt instrument, secured by the collateral of specified real estate property, that the borrower is obliged to pay back with a predetermined set of payments. Mortgages are used by individuals and businesses to make large real estate purchases without paying the entire value of the purchase up front. Over a period of many years, the borrower repays the loan, plus interest, until he/she eventually owns the property free and clear. Mortgages are also known as "liens against property" or "claims on property." If the borrower stops paying the mortgage, the bank can foreclose.