Final answer:
The $30,000 the Garcias put down for the purchase of their $300,000 house is known as the down payment. It is the initial payment made when securing a mortgage for the remaining balance, which in this case is $270,000.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the scenario provided, the Garcias are purchasing a house for $300,000 and are putting down $30,000 on the day of the purchase. This amount, $30,000, is known as the down payment. It's the initial upfront portion of the total purchase price paid by the buyer to the seller, with the intention of securing the mortgage loan from a bank or a lender for the remaining amount, which in this case is $270,000. The loan term is the duration of time over which the loan is to be repaid, which is 30 years here. The interest rate is the percentage of the loan amount charged by the lender for use of the funds, and here it is 3.5 percent. Lastly, the principal refers to the initial sum of money borrowed, or still owed on a loan, exclusive of interest. In this case, the principal would be the remaining $270,000 that the Garcias will finance through the mortgage.