Mortgage amount
The total amount for this mortgage.
Interest rate
The interest rate on this mortgage.
Mortgage amortization
The number of years over which you will repay this mortgage. The most common amortization
for mortgages are 20 years and 25 years.
Fees
Any fees that should be included in the APR calculation. These fees can vary by
lender, but at a minimum usually includes prepaid interest.
Mortgage payment
Any fees that should be included in the APR calculation. These fees can vary by
lender, but at a minimum usually includes prepaid interest.
Equivalent monthly payment
The sum of periodic payments for a year divided by 12 months
Accelerated weekly and bi-weekly payments
Accelerated weekly and accelerated bi-weekly payment options are calculated by taking
a monthly payment schedule and assuming only four weeks in a month. We calculate
an accelerated weekly payment, for example, by taking your normal monthly payment
and dividing it by four. Since you pay 52 weekly payments, by the end of a year
you have paid the equivalent of one extra monthly payment. This additional amount
accelerates your loan payoff by going directly against your loan's principal. The
effect can save you thousands in interest and take years off of your mortgage.
The accelerated bi-weekly payment is calculated by dividing your monthly payment
by two. You then make 26 bi-weekly payments. Just like the accelerated weekly payments
you are in effect paying an additional monthly payment per year.
Annual percentage rate (APR)
A standard calculation used by lenders. It is designed to help borrowers compare
different loan options. For example, a loan with a lower stated interest rate may
be a bad value if its fees are too high. Likewise, a loan with a higher stated rate
with very low fees could be an exceptional value. APR calculations incorporate these
fees into a single rate. You can then compare loans with different fees, rates or
different amortizations. All mortgages calculated with this calculator use semi-annual
compounding, all APR calculations use annual compounding of interest.