mortgage law: an overview

A mortgage involves the transfer of an interest in land as security for a loan or other obligation. It is the most common method of financing real estate transactions. The mortgagor is the party transferring the interest in land. The mortgage, usually a financial institution, is the provider of the loan or other interest given in exchange for the security interest. Normally, a mortgage is paid in installments that include both interest and a payment on the principle amount that was borrowed. Failure to make payments results in the foreclosure of the mortgage. Foreclosure allows the mortgagee to declare that the entire mortgage debt is due and must be paid immediately. This is accomplished through an acceleration clause in the mortgage. Failure to pay the mortgage debt once foreclosure of the land occurs leads to seizure of the security interest and it's sale to pay for any remaining mortgage debt. The foreclosure process depends on state law and the terms of the mortgage. The most common processes are court proceedings (judicial foreclosure) or grants of power to the mortgagee to sell the property (power of sale foreclosure). Many states regulate acceleration clauses and allow late payments to avoid foreclosure.

Three theories exist regarding who has legal title to a mortgaged property. Under the title theory title to the security interest rests with the mortgagee. Most states, however, follow the lien theory under which the legal title remains with the mortgagor unless there is foreclosure. Finally, the intermediate theory applies the lien theory until there is a default on the mortgage whereupon the title theory applies.

The mortgagor and the mortgagee generally have the right to transfer their interest in the mortgage. Some states hold that even when the purchaser of a property subject to a mortgage does not explicitly take over the mortgage the transfer is assumed. Mortgages employ due-on-sale and due-on-encumbrance clauses to prevent the transfer of mortgages. These clauses allow acceleration (having the principal and interest become due immediately) of the mortgage. In 1982, Congress made these clauses enforceable nationwide by passage of the Garn-St Germain Depository Institutions Act of 1982 (http://www.phil.frb.org/src/Garn.html). The law of contracts and property govern the transfer of the mortgage's interest.

If the mortgage being foreclosed is not the only lien on the property then state law determines the priority of the property interests. For example, Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code governs conflicts between mortgages on real property and liens on fixtures (personal property attached to a piece of real estate).

When a mortgage is a negotiable instrument it is governed by Article 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code. See Negotiable Instruments. A mortgage may be used as a security interest by the mortgage. See Secured Transactions.

The law of mortgages is mainly governed by state statutory and common law. Mortgages are regulated by federal or state law or agencies depending on under whose law they were chartered or established. The Office of Thrift Supervision (http://www.ots.treas.gov/), an office in the Department of the Treasury, regulates federally chartered savings associations. The Comptroller of the Currency (http://www.occ.treas.gov/) charters and regulates national banks. Federal credit unions are chartered and regulated by the National Credit Union Administration (http://www.ncua.gov/).

Federal agencies that purchase loans and mortgages are the Federal National Mortgage Association or Fannie Mae (http://www.fanniemae.com/index.jhtml), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation or Freddie Mac (http://www.freddiemac.com/), and the Government National Mortgage Association or Ginnie Mae (http://www.ginniemae.gov/). The federal government also insures mortgages through the [http://www.hud.gov/fha/ Federal Housing Administration] and the Department of Veterans Affairs (http://www.va.gov/).

menu of sources

Federal Material

Federal Statutes

• 12 U.S.C. - Banks and Banking

Federal Regulations

• Title 12 C.F.R. (http://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/12cfr.htm)

Federal Judicial Decisions

• U.S. Supreme Court: Recent Decisions on Mortgages (http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/search/index.html?query=mortgage)
• U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals: Recent Decisions on Mortgages (http://www.law.cornell.edu/usca/search/index.html?query=mortgages)

State Material

State Statutes

• State Property Law Statutes (http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/state_statutes.html#property)
• State Financial Institutions Statutes (http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/state_statutes.html#financial)
• State Civil Codes (http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/state_statutes.html#civil_code)

State Judicial Decisions

• N.Y. Court of Appeals:
  • Recent Decisions on Mortgages (http://www.law.cornell.edu/nyctap/search/index.html?query=mortgage+not+liibulletin)
  • Commentary from liibulletin-ny (http://www.law.cornell.edu/nyctap/search/index.html?query=liibulletin+and+mortgage)
• Appellate Decisions from Other States (http://www.law.cornell.edu/states/)

Other References

Key Internet Sources

• Federal Agencies:
  • Office of Thrift Supervision (http://www.ots.treas.gov/)
  • Comptroller of the Currency (http://www.occ.treas.gov/)
  • National Credit Union Administration (http://www.ncua.gov/)
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) (http://www.hud.gov/)
  • Fannie Mae (http://www.fanniemae.com/)
  • Freddie Mac (http://www.freddiemac.com/)
  • Ginnie Mae (http://www.ginniemae.gov/)
  • Department of Housing and Urban Development (http://www.hud.gov/)

Useful Offnet (or Subscription - $) Sources

• Good Starting Point in Print: Nelson and Whitman's Hornbook on Real Estate Finance Law (http://west.thomson.com/product/14552202/product.asp), West Group (2001)

other topics

Category: Commercial Transactions