Definition of "Margin of security"

Cale Childers Broker real estate agent

Written by

Cale Childers Brokerelite badge icon

Century21

Buffer amount between the value of the collateral and the principal balance of the obligation. For example, if the mortgage has a principal balance of $200,000 and the appraised value of the property is $250,000, the bank has a margin of security of $50,000 in the event of default. The greater the collateral value, the more protection the bank has. In troubled real estate markets because of adverse economic conditions, the market value of the property may fall substantially below the balance of the mortgage. Many homeowners in such a case have defaulted on the loan because of the decline in market values. For example, if the appraised value of a home has fallen to $60,000 while the mortgage balance is $100,000, it might be more financially prudent for the debtor to default on the mortgage.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Court action to order a compulsory sale of real estate owned jointly between two or more owners. A partition action divides the proceeds of a real estate sale among the joint owners rather ...

mortgage being reduced through periodic principal and interest payments. ...

Section of the Internal Revenue Code relating to depreciation. Capital improvements made to real property are depreciable. ...

To create an encumbrance. ...

Expected period that property will provide benefits. It is typically less than physical life of the property because the property continues to have physical life regardless of inefficiency ...

To obtain the right through authorization to act as a legal representative and agent for another. ...

Member Of the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers. ...

(1) Government seizes private property, but does not provide fair and reasonable compensation for it. (2) Property is seized and the owners rights abolished because of a legal violation. ...

The phrase used for the period in which the escrow agent communicates to both the buyer and the seller as to what documents or moneys have to be deposited with the escrow agent to satisfy ...

Popular Real Estate Questions