What is a mortgage?

A mortgage is fundamentally a legal agreement in which real estate is pledged as security for a loan. This arrangement allows a borrower to acquire funds from a lender while using the property as collateral. If the borrower fails to repay the loan, the lender has the right to take possession of the property through a legal process known as foreclosure. This means that the mortgage is not just any type of agreement; it creates a lien on the property, giving the lender a claim against it.

The clarity in this definition highlights why the other choices do not fit. For instance, insurance policies pertain to risk management and protection against potential losses, not securing loans. Investment funds are collective vehicles for pooling money to invest, which also differs significantly from a lending arrangement secured by property. Finally, a bank's evaluation of property value, often called an appraisal, is merely a process to establish the market value of a property—it does not involve the legal commitments inherent in a mortgage agreement. Thus, the accurate definition of a mortgage encompasses the notion of using property as security for a loan, firmly solidifying its role within real estate transactions and finance.