The New York booklet defines a mortgage on real property as a written instrument, duly executed and delivered, that creates a lien on real estate as security for payment of a specified debt. In simple terms, the property stands as collateral for the obligation.
This is one of the core property terms in any New York notary glossary because mortgages regularly require acknowledgments, recordings, proofs, and later supporting documents. It is also one of the terms most often confused with the role words mortgagor and mortgagee, or with the broader word lien.
Why it matters: A mortgage is not merely evidence of a debt. It is also a written security instrument affecting real property, which is why it sits so close to acknowledgment rules in the booklet and in everyday county-recording practice.
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