Mortgage Law in New York

In Copiague, New York, a mortgage is a special type of secured loan. A loan is "secured" when there is some type of property attached to it, which can be seized by the lender in case the borrower defaults. This, obviously, reduces the risk to the lender, and makes credit more available. A mortgage is a loan given to buy a piece of real estate, with that same real estate serving as collateral.

Taking out a mortgage is not a trivial matter. But, if you want to buy a house, this is likely only way it will be possible. A mortgage authorizes a person to purchase property costing far more than what they currently have, by paying the purchase price in manageable installments.

When you buy anything on credit, however, you are going to end up spending substantially more than the purchase price, because you have to pay interest. Obviously, a lender couldn't stay in business if it didn't charge interest on loans, this would cause it to (at best) break even on every loan it issued.

Most people find this arrangement to be mutually beneficial - the lender makes a profit, and the borrower is able to buy a home where it would otherwise have been impractical.

Getting a Mortgage in Copiague, New York

When trying to get a mortgage in Copiague, New York, it's necessary that you have a good credit history dating back as far as possible. The better your past record of paying back loans, the more likely a bank is to assume the risk of loaning you hundreds of thousands (or more) dollars to buy a house.

The vast majority of lenders will require a down-payment before issuing a loan. This is some up-front payment that represents a percentage of the purchase price. You should ensure that you have enough money saved up to cover the down payment on a house, if you are considering buying one. This will prevent the down payment from straining your finances too much.

It's also necessary to be realistic about your financial situation when calculating monthly payments. Obviously, a more expensive house will result in higher mortgage payments. While buying a house on credit may tempt you to get something more expensive than you can really afford, you should resist this temptation. Having a big, expensive home won't count for much if you can't make the payments, and it gets foreclosed. You should make a reasonable accounting of the expenses associated with home ownership. This includes mortgage payments, property taxes, and others.

Once you're ready to close the deal, you will have to sign all of the mortgage and sale agreements. This basically makes everything final, so it's necessary that you have a good understanding of every provision of the agreement long before you get to this point. This is definitely an area where surprises are not desirable.

Can a Copiague, New York Real Estate Attorney help?

Because of the gravity of the decision to buy a house, and the complexity of some of the issues involved, it is never a bad idea to seek the help of a Copiague, New York real estate attorney if you have any questions whatsoever.