The correct answer is B, Balloon mortgage. A balloon loan uses periodic payments that do not fully amortize the principal balance over the contractual term. As a result, a substantial unpaid balance remains due at maturity.

That remaining amount is called the balloon payment.

A fully amortized mortgage differs because the scheduled principal-and-interest payments reduce the loan balance to zero by the final regular payment.

Balloon financing can reduce periodic debt-service requirements compared with a fully amortizing loan having the same maturity, but it creates substantial maturity risk. The borrower must either have sufficient cash available, sell the property, or obtain refinancing when the final payment comes due.

Balloon structures are encountered more frequently in certain commercial and investment transactions, although they can exist in other financing contexts.

The defining feature is not the precise size of the monthly payment but the presence of a large remaining principal amount due at the end of the term.

Study Guide Reference: Financing — Balloon Mortgages, Amortization and Loan Repayment Structures.