Over the course of my career in finance and in writing about mortgages, I’ve found that one good way to make conversation is to reveal little-known facts about mortgages to my friends and family. Mortgage facts tend to wow people because while most people end up getting a mortgage at some time or another, many don’t really take the time to think about where the idea came from. Here are a few facts about mortgages you can use to impress your friends at your next social gathering.