July 31st, 2018 10:36 AM by Andrew Walter May CEO
Many of us incorrectly call our home loan a mortgage, but in fact, a mortgage is not what your lender gives you to buy a home. A mortgage is actually the formal document proving the legal claim or lien on a piece of property that you give to the lender who holds it as security for the money you borrowed. The lien is recorded in public records. On a mortgage, you pledge the property as security for the repayment of your loan, but you do not transfer title to the lender.
If you (the mortgagee) repay your loan in accordance with the terms of the mortgage, it is canceled or satisfied by the lender (the mortgagor). However, if you do not repay your debt, the lender has the right to sell the secured property to recover funds through a court proceeding called foreclosure.
In some states, a deed of trust is used in place of a mortgage. While a mortgage involves two people (the borrower and the lender) a deed of trust involves three people - the borrower (or trustor), the lender (the beneficiary) and a trustee, a neutral third party, such as an attorney or a title agent. The deed of trust is also recorded in public records.