Mortgage is the term used for the process of putting up property as a collateral or security for the payment of a debt. The word is more commonly associated with loans acquired with real estate as security, but it is also possible to mortgage with other property as collateral. In some jurisdictions, arranging mortgages are the basic processes which are used to allow individuals and corporations to acquire residential or commercial real estates, delaying the necessity to pay the full value of the property in bulk. Online sites such as this site on mortgages offer mortgaging services which can suit every need and purpose. The site also allows potential applicants to compare rates between lending companies, so they can assess and choose for themselves a lender who can offer rates which are more suited for their current financial situation.

There are two types of mortgage: mortgage by legal charge, wherein the debtor maintains legal ownership of the property, but the creditor also gains enough rights to enable them to enforce the collateral, such as the right to foreclose, repossess and sell the property if the debtor does not keep up to his end of the deal. In mortgage by legal demise, the creditor gains ownership of the property up to the point that the loan is paid in full; the property is in a sense entrusted to the creditor, upon agreeing to the condition that the property will be returned when full repayment of the loan has been made. This type of mortgaging is at present seldom offered, and some countries have considered this mortgage type practically obsolete.