The lender in a mortgage, i.e., the party to a mortgage loan that extends credit to another party, the borrower (also known as a mortgagor) over a specific period of time. The loan extended serves the sole purpose of purchasing a real estate asset (a house) or refinancing an existing mortgage loan. A mortgagee might be a bank, savings and loan association, building society, etc.

Generally speaking, a mortgagee could be an individual or entity that provides a loan that is secured by a mortgage.