Related Articles Online Home Equity Loans: A Basic Glossary Home equity loans can be a great idea for individuals looking to get out of debt or make necessary repairs on their homes. During the process, you will come across a variety of terms and acronyms. We have gathered together some of the basic terms that you come across during your home equity loan. If you have any questions about any of these terms, make sure to consult with your mortgage lender. Interest-only Mortgages Have Their Pitfalls Rising home prices, particularly on the East and West coasts have put the costs of home ownership seemingly beyond the reach of many. And yet, home ownership is up nationwide, and the percentage of Americans who own their homes is the highest it has ever been. How is this possible? Making Sense of Mortgage Speak Applying for a home loan can be overwhelming. You will need to contend with mountains of papers, contracts, documents; and do lots of planning and coordination. Add to that a whole language unique to the mortgage loan process and you have the makings of an experience unlike any other. 40-Year Mortgages: An Alternative to Interest-only Loans? Interest-only loans are quickly becoming a mainstream loan product. Borrowers who were initially turned-off by the perceived risk associated with an interest-only loan are now starting to see the benefits: Lower payments, less money tied up in equity, more flexibility, etc. For the savvy borrower, an interest-only loan can be an important component to an overall financial plan -- allowing them to divert principal payments to other financial goals. No Fee Mortgages Coming Soon Buying a home, especially for the first time, can be a daunting experience. There are endless credit checks, bank checks, employment checks, appraisals and more paperwork than seems to make sense. Adding to the angst associated with buying a home is the endless list of fees that are added to the cost of the mortgage. In addition to the interest rate quoted for the loan itself, lenders add other items to the closing costs, including appraisal fees, loan origination fees, credit report fees, document preparation fees, postage fees and all manner of other items that are often not even mentioned by the lender until closing time.