A
mortgage loan, also referred to as a
mortgage, is used by purchasers of
real property to raise funds to buy real estate; or by existing property owners to raise funds for any purpose while putting a lien on the property being mortgaged. The loan is "
secured" on the borrower's property. This means that a
legal mechanism is put in place which allows the lender to take possession and sell the secured property ("
foreclosure" or "
repossession") to pay off the loan in the event that the borrower defaults on the loan or otherwise fails to abide by its terms. The word
mortgage is derived from a "
Law French" term used by
English lawyers in the
Middle Ages meaning "death pledge", and refers to the pledge ending (dying) when either the obligation is fulfilled or the property is taken through foreclosure. Mortgage can also be described as "a borrower giving consideration in the form of a collateral for a benefit (loan).
