This document discusses various aspects of taking out a mortgage, including: 1. The importance of getting pre-approval from a bank before making offers on properties and the process involved in getting pre-approval. 2. The types of lenders available, including major retail banks, smaller banks and lenders, and mortgage brokers. 3. How to calculate mortgage payments using online calculators or Excel functions. 4. That payments are made up of both interest and principal, with interest making up most of early payments.