How do mortgages work?

Imagine you want to buy a house but you don’t have all the money to pay for it upfront. A mortgage is like a loan that helps you buy the house by borrowing money from a bank or a lender. Here’s how it generally works:

1. Down Payment:

• When you buy a house, you usually pay a small portion of the total price upfront. This is called a down payment. It’s typically around 5% to 20% of the house’s price.

2. Loan from the Bank:

• The rest of the money you need to buy the house comes from the mortgage. The bank lends you the money to cover the remaining cost of the house.

3. Interest Rates and Terms:

• Mortgages come with an interest rate, which is basically the cost of borrowing the money. The lower the interest rate, the less you’ll pay in the long run. You also agree on a term, which is the number of years you have to pay back the loan. Common terms are 15, 20, or 30 years.

4. Monthly Payments:

• You pay back the loan in monthly installments. Each installment consists of two parts:
  • Principal: This is the amount you borrowed.
  • Interest: This is the cost the bank charges for lending you the money.

5. Building Equity:

• As you make payments, you start to build equity in your home. Equity is the portion of the house that you actually own. With each payment, you owe a little less and own a little more.

6. Insurance and Taxes:

• Along with the mortgage payments, you’ll need to pay for homeowner’s insurance and property taxes. Sometimes these are included in your monthly mortgage payment.

7. Risks:

• If you don’t make your mortgage payments, you could risk losing your home. That’s why it’s crucial to make payments on time.

8. Refinancing:

• Sometimes, people refinance their mortgages. This means they replace their existing mortgage with a new one, usually to get a better interest rate or change the loan term.

Remember, while mortgages help you buy a home, they are a big financial responsibility. It’s essential to understand the terms, read the fine print, and make sure you can comfortably afford the monthly payments before committing to one.