Discover what a first mortgage is, its importance as a primary lien, key requirements, and tax benefits. Learn how it compares with a second mortgage and explore real-life examples.

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Doretha Clemons, Ph.D., MBA, PMP, has been a corporate IT executive and professor for 34 ...

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As more housing and mortgage authorities seek to expand the scope of homeownership to those who have never purchased a home before, the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) and the Federal Housing ...

When it comes to figuring out what kind of mortgage you need, the most common question asked is whether you should go fixed or variable. What often slips people's minds is that a variable rate ...

The main difference between a fixed and variable mortgage is that your mortgage rate stays the same for a set period with a fixed-rate mortgage, while with a variable rate mortgage, it could rise or ...

Many people think owning a home is always a good investment. While that’s often true, there’s a risk that you could end up with an underwater mortgage. But what is an underwater mortgage exactly? This ...