Property Listing

Weichert Realtors: Homes for Sale & Real Estate Listings in NJ,NY,FL,VA,MD,DC,CT,PA,MA,SC,NC,TX,GA,DE,OH,TN,WV En Espanol City & State, or Zip: MLS #: Price Range: $ ,000 To: $ ,000 Rentals Careers at Weichert Luxury Homes Historic Homes New Homes and Land Corporate Housing Commercial & Investments Insurance Gold Services Relocation Real Estate Schools Referral Associates Franchise Opportunities Start your Home search here, or click on the map. Please Select Alabama Arkansas Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Illinois Maryland Massachusetts Missouri New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennesee Texas Virginia Washington, DC West Virginia Weichert, Realtors proudly donated $1.3 million to the American Red Cross for the victims of Hurricane Katrina Also Search For: Selling · Open Houses · Mortgages · Associates · Offices Browse By State: Alabama Real Estate Properties New York Real Estate Properties Arkansas Real Estate Properties North Carolina Real Estate Properties Connecticut Real Estate Properties Ohio Real Estate Properties Delaware Real Estate Properties Pennsylvania Real Estate Properties Florida Real Estate Properties South Carolina Real Estate Properties Georgia Real Estate Properties Tennesee Real Estate Properties Illinois Real Estate Properties Texas Real Estate Properties Maryland Real Estate Properties Virginia Real Estate Properties Massachusetts Real Estate Properties Washington, DC Real Estate Properties Missouri Real Estate Properties West Virginia Real Estate Properties New Jersey Real Estate Properties Call 1-800-USA-SOLD (1-800-872-7653) Buying a House | Selling a Home | Open Houses | Real Estate Agents | Realtor Offices Find a Mortgage | My Real Estate Listings | About Weichert | Home | Contact Us Real Estate Franchise Opportunities | Weichert Careers © 2005 Weichert Realtors. All rights reserved. Terms of Use | Privacy Statement REALTOR® -- A Registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS ® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Inquiries regarding the Code of Ethics should be directed to the board in which a REALTOR® holds membership. © 2005 Weichert Realtors. All Rights Reserved.

House Rental near Sugarbush

Moretown Vermont House Rental Sugarbush Valley - House Moretown Vermont House Rental Sugarbush Valley Property Owners Join us VRBO ® is Vacation Rentals by Owner ® Home USA Vermont Sugarbush, Mad River Glen Moretown Edit Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #39367 Charming House for Rent Location: Moretown, Sugarbush, Mad River Glen, Vermont, USA (Sugarbush Valley) Accommodations: House - 3 Bedrooms + Bunk Area - 2 Baths - (Sleeps 6-8) The front of the house - Moretown, VT - Vermont House Rental near Sugarbush Valley Our charming home has a southern exposure, it is located at the elevation of 1450 feet with views to Sugarbush, Mount Elen, and Mad River ski areas. The house is located on ten wooded acres and is at the northern end of the Sugarbush Valley. The Valley has many restaurants and shops. Above the spacious living room is a loft for television viewing; across from the loft is the master bedroom and bathroom. A large deck is off the dining room/kitchen. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, bunkroom, and utility room are located on the lower level. Montpelier is 12 miles away and we are 13 miles off the interstate Route 89. Dining room and deck - Moretown, VT - Vermont House Rental near Sugarbush Valley Amenities: Fireplace, Phone, Cable TV, VCR, Stereo, CD Player, Full Kitchen, Microwave, Dishwasher, Refrigerator, Cooking Utensils provided, Linens provided, Washer, Dryer Pet Friendly Activities (on site or nearby): Hiking, Rock Climbing, Biking, Golf, Fitness Center, Fishing, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing, Horseback Riding, Shopping, Restaurants, Live Theater, Cinemas, Museums, Sightseeing, Swimming, Cross-country Skiing, Snowmobiling, Sledding Rates (in US Dollars): Personal Currency Assistant ™ Credit Cards Accepted: Summer Rate .. $1050/week, plus 9% Vermont Tax.Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice. Living room and the loft - Moretown, VT - Vermont House Rental near Sugarbush Valley Links to more information: Click Here to see All My Rental Listings Note: Each property is individually owned or managed. Dates available:  May 15 to November 01 Phone: (781) 631-8264 (Massachusetts, USA) Please say: "I saw your listing #39367 on VRBO" Home USA Vermont Sugarbush, Mad River Glen Moretown Edit Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #39367 There have been 1820 visitors to this page since the counter was last reset on July 02, 2005 This listing was first published here on May 10, 2004. Moretown Vermont House Rental Sugarbush Valley Date last modified - December 16, 2005 VRBO® is Vacation Rentals by Owner® - The largest and most popular vacation rental site. Specializing in BY OWNER vacation rentals, homes, condos, cabins, villas and apartments ALSO privately owned properties offered thru rental agencies and management companies. To report any problems with this site contact webmaster@vrbo.com URL: http://www.vrbo.com/39367 ©1995-2005 by VRBO International LLC - all rights reserved

real estate investment information

Real Estate Investing Books and Courses Find Out Which Real Estate Investing Courses Will Really Make You Money! Read (and Write!) Amazon-style Reviews Of The Most Popular Real Estate Investing Courses & Real Estate Investing Seminars & Speakers. Home Page Real Estate Courses Latest Reviews Site Map Contact Us For A Limited Time... Subscribe To Our Newletter and Get Our... 7 Day E-Course "The Top 5 Mistakes All Investors Make And How You Can Avoid Them" Retail Value of $29.99 - yours absolutely FREE! Name : Email : Best Sellers November 2005 Apartment House Riches By David Lindahl Real Estate Investor Business Plan By Steve Cook Quick Cash Quick Turning Houses By Chuck Smith Texas Houses For Pennies II By Darius Barazandeh Borrowing Millions From Private Lenders By Alex Gurevich What's New Motivated Seller Magnet By Ben Innes-Ker What's New How To Create A Bullet Proof Corporation By Bill Bronchick What's New Alternative Real Estate Financing By Bill Bronchick What's New Apartment House Riches By David Lindahl Best Seller Subject To Is What I Do By John "Cash" Locke Best Seller Deals On Wheels By Lonnie Scruggs Best Seller Ugly House Workshop DVD By Steve Cook Best Seller Quick Turning Houses For Amazing Profits By Chuck Smith Swap links with us! Click here if you own a real estate web site and you'd like to join our reciprocal link program and get more traffic. We are currently only linking to real estate related websites. If your website is not real estate related please don't link to us. Real Estate Investing Site Map Real Estate Investing Courses | Latest Reviews A.D. Kessler A.D. Kessler is the publisher of "Creative Real Estate Magazine" and other real estate investing products and programs. Al Aiello Albert "Al" Aiello is a CPA and has written several tax courses for real estate investors. Alex Gurevich Alex Gurevich sells real estate investment information products on how to raise and use private money, and how to "Super Charge" your cash flow. Alan Cowgill Allen Cowgill is the author of a course on how to raise private money to fund your real estate investment deals. Barney Zick Bernard "Barney" Zick has written 19 home study courses about creative real estate investing. He is also the author of a negotiation book called "The Negotiating Paradox." Barry Grimes Barry Grimes has written a creative real estate investment eBook called "Real Estate Jobbing 101." Ben Innes-Ker Ben Innes-Ker has written a creative real estate investment eBook called "Motivated Seller Magnet." Bill Bronchick William "Bill" Bronchick is a real estate attorney who has authored several books and courses on real estate financing, asset protection and more. Bill Gatten Bill Gatten has authored several books on real estate investing and is the inventor of the "Equity Holding Land Trust(tm) System" -- the PACTrust (tm) and NEHTrust(tm). Brad Martineau Bradley "Brad" Martineau is the author of "The Complete System" a book of "No Money Down" strategies. Bruce Norris Bruce Norris is the author of the "Making Power Profits" real estate investment series. Bryan Wittenmyer Bryan Wittenmyer has authored several books on the subject of creative real estate investing and how to develop and manage cash flow streams. Carleton Sheets Carlton Sheets is probably responsible for teaching more people about real estate investing than any other person. He is the king of late-night infomercial gurus. Charlie & Randy France Charlie and Randy France are the "Get The Deed" people. Their creative real estate investing courses deal with buying and selling property "Subject To" or "Sub 2" the existing financing. Chuck Smith Chuck Smith is a retired cop who has written a real estate course on quick-turning houses. Claude Diamond Claude Diamond is a creative real estate investor who uses lease options. He also has a mentoring program for beginning real estate investors. Darius Barazandeh Darius Barazandeh is a real estate attorney. His creative real estate courses offer information on real estate investing in tax liens, asset protection and more. David Alexander David Alexander is an expert bandit sign advertiser and he teaches courses on beginning and advanced subject to investing. David Butler David Butler is the author of "Tin Can Alley." He specializes in mobile home investing and mobile home parks. David Lindahl David Lindahl wrote a real estate investing course called "Apartment House Riches." Dean Graziosi Dean Graziosi is the author of a real estate investing course called "Think A Little Different" which he sells through an infomercial. Diane Kennedy Diane Kennedy is a "Rich Dad" Advisor for Robert Kiyosaki. She is a tax accounting expert and has written a book called "Legal Tax Loopholes." Dolf De Roos Dolf De Roos is one of Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad Advisors ."TM He also puts on real estate investment seminars. Dwan Bent Twyford & Sharon Restrepo Dwan & Sharon have written real estate investing books and courses on short sales, wholesaling, and foreclosures. Dyches Boddiford Dyches Boddiford has written several books on various creative real estate investing topics including mobile home investing and asset protection. Ed Garcia Ed Garcia instructs a real estate seminar with Terry Vaughan on how to get bank lines of credit to finance your real estate investments. Ernest Tew Ernest Tew has one of the brightest minds in creative real estate investing. His primaryspecialties are mobile home parks and asset protection. Gary DiGrazia Gary DiGrazia is the author of a real estate investing course on buying probate properties called "Diamond Farming." Gerhard Cronje Gerhard Cronje is the author of "Marketing To Attorneys". H. Roger Neal H. Roger Neal writes real estate investing books and courses on fast-flip and rehabbing junkers. Hal Roark Hal Roark has written a real estate investing course called "Landlording Secrets" which shows you how to properly use section 8. Heather Seitz Heather Seitz has written a real estate course on rehabbing. Hugh Bromma Hugh Bromma teaches real estate investors how to invest their self directed IRA's in real estate. Jack Miller Jack Miller is one of the countries leading experts in mobile home investing. Jay Decima Jay Decima offers real estate books and courses on buying and rehabbing "ugly houses." Jeff Beaubien Jeff Beaubien sells real estate investing courses on Lease Option and Lease Purchase strategies. Jeff Kaller Jeff Kaller is "Mr. Preforeclosure." He's has real estate investing courses and seminars on preforeclosure investing and short sales. Jeffrey Taylor Jeffrey Taylor is "Mr. Landlord" and teaches real estate investors how to become better and more efficient landlords . Jerry Hoganson Jerry Hoganson is known as Mr. Mobile Home. Jerry specializes in Mobile Home Parks and Mobile Home note investments. Jim Banks Jim Banks teaches creative real estate investing techniques on the subject of probate investing. Jimmy Napier Jimmy Napier has written several real estate investing books on the subjects of discounted mortgages, buying notes and creating "paper." Joe Brillante & Lou Castillo Joe Brillante & Lou Castillo a real estate investing book called "The A to Z startup kit. Joe Crump Joe Crump is the author of "Zero Down Real Estate Investing" and the publisher of "Real Estate Money Maker" newsletter. Joe Kaiser Joe Kaiser has done a variety of products on creative real estate investing. He has some very interesting & unique approaches to finding foreclosure deals. John (Cash) Locke John "Cash" Locke is a popular writer & of buying real estate "Subject To" and "Bird Dogging." John Beck John Beck can be seen on T.V. infomercials selling his tax lien investing course. John Behle John Behle is the author of "The Paper Game" which teaches real estate investors how tobuy, sell, and create notes. John Burley John Burley has developed a plethora of creative real estate investing courses geared toward building wealth. John Hyre John Hyre is a tax attorney, accountant and real estate investor. He has developed a bookkeeping course for real estate investors and a course on entities. John Schaub Johan Schaub sells real estate courses and seminars on "Making It Big On Little Deals". Schaub has been teaching creative real estate investing for many, many years. John T. Reed John T. Reed is the watch-dog of the real estate investing gurus. He also sells his own real estate investing courses. John Ulmer John Ulmer has written several creative real estate investing books and courses including a private lending course. Jon Richards Jon Richards is the publisher of "Noteworthy Newsletter" a creative real estate investing newsletter about buying discounted cash flows. Kathy Kennebrook Kathy Kennebrook is a Ron LeGrand student who created a marketing system to find motivated sellers. Kevin Myers Kevin Myers is the author of "Buy It, Fix It, Sell It, Profit." Myers has rehabbed numerous single family houses over his 25 year career. Kris Kirschner Kris Kirschner is the author of "The Auto Pilot System For Selling Houses." Lisa Moren Lisa Moren is the author of "Soup To Nuts Real Estate" which is a beginners guide to real estate investing. Lonnie Scruggs Lonnie Scruggs is the best selling author of the mobile home investing book "Deals On Wheels." Lou Vukas Lou Vukas is the author of a real estate investing eBook called"Real Estate Uncovered." Lou Brown Lou Brown is the self-proclaimed "King of Cash Flow." Brown offers real estate investing courses on both acquiring property as well as landlording. Marco Kozlowski Marco Kozlowski sells a real estate course called "Big Fat Checks" which teaches investors how to buy and sell high end luxury homes. Mark Sumpter Mark Sumpter is a real estate investor specializing in the area of short sales. Michael Carbonare Michael Carbonare sells a real estate investing course which specializes in Lease Purchase information. Mike King Mike King has written a real estate investing course and teaches boot camps on forbearances. Pete Youngs Pete Youngs created a real estate investing course called "Rehab 101." Peter Conti & David Finkle Sell courses on lease options, buying apartment buildings, negotiating and more. Very active on the seminar circuit. Ray Alcorn Ray Alcorn is the author of "The Deal Makers Guide To Mobile Home Parks." Ray Como Ray Como sells real estate investing courses on transaction engineering, advanced house-buying and marketing for motivated sellers. Richard Roop Richard Roop sells creative real estate investing courses on marketing and finding motivated sellers. Robert Allen Robert Allen has written several best selling real estate investing books including Nothing Down and The One Minute Millionaire. Robert Kiyosaki Robert Kiyosaki is the author of the "Rich Dad/Poor Dad" book series. Robert Kiyosaki also sells a course on creative real estate investing. Robert Shemin Robert Shemin is another real estate attorney and real estate investor who has created courses on both creative real estate investing & landlording. Robyn Thompson Robyn Thompson is most noted for her real estate investing course on buying and selling distressed properties or "ugly houses." She is also a Ron LeGrand student. Roger Dawson Roger Dawson is a negotiating expert. He is the author of "Secrets Of Power Negotiating." Ron Legrand Ron LeGrand is one of the best-known real estate investing gurus. He had authored several creative real estate books and courses on wholesaling, lease options, and buying pretty houses. Russ Whitney Russ Whitney is another name you might recognize from late-night infomercials. Russ Whitney sells real estate investing books and courses as well as seminars. Scott Britton Scott Britton is the publisher of "The University Of Real Estate Letter" as well as a couple of creative real estate investing courses. Scott Rister Scott Rister has authored several real estate investing products on wholesaling, marketing for motivated sellers and more. Scott Scheel Scott Scheel is a real estate investor who invests in commercial properties. He also conducts a commercial real estate investing bootcamp. Stacy Holder Stacy Holder sells a course on rehabbing and speaks for Robert Allen. Steve Cook Steve Cook is an active real estate investor who has written courses on how to Wholesale & Rehab houses. Ted Thomas Ted Thomas teaches real estate investors how to invest in tax liens. Terry Vaughan Terry Vaughan is the author of the creative real estate investing book "Paper Into Gold." Tim Randle Tim Randle is a creative real estate investor who sells a course on how to buy real estate "Subject To", or "Sub 2" as it's also called. Vena Jones-Cox Vena Jones-Cox is the author of home study courses on basic real estate investing, wholesaling, deal-finding, selling on lease/options, and creative finance. Wade Cook Wade Cook is a best selling author of several real estate investing books as well as books on trading stocks. Wendy Patton Wendy Patton is the author of a real estate investing course on lease options. William Tingle William Tingle has written a real estate investing course on buying properties "Subect To" or "Sub 2" the existing financing. William Tingle is an active real estate investor. Wright Thurston Wright Thurston has written several creative real estate investing courses including "Diamonds In The Rough" which teaches investors how to invest in multi-family rentals property. Real Estate Investing | Real Estate Investing Products | Real Estate Investing Links | Real Estate Investing Site Map | Contact Us © 2003-2005 RealEstateCourseReviews.com™ • All Rights Reserved. No part of this web site may be reproduced electronically or otherwise without express written permission Loading Page...

Real Estate Broker NEW

CBS News | Be Your Own Real Estate Broker | May 21, 2004 22:03:39 CBSNews.com The Web Home | U.S. | World | Politics | SciTech | Health | Entertainment | Business | Opinion | NEW --Strange News | Sports | Public Eye | Interactives | FREE CBS News Video The Early Show | CBS Evening News | 48 Hours | 60 Minutes The Saturday Early Show -- | CBS Sunday Morning | Face The Nation | Up To The Minute | Build Your Own Newscast Main Page Living HealthWatch Leisure Series The Saturday Early Show Chef On A Shoestring Second Cup Caf Ask Mike Up Next Program Facts Bios Contact Info Inside Scoop Contributors Bios Special Report Money Matters Early Show financial adviser Ray Martin offers tips to keep your financial house in order. Interactive U.S. Markets History of trading and definitions of key terms RELATED STORIES & LINKS Let The House Hunting Begin Tips For Those Diving Into The Real Estate Market This Spring Taking A Home Equity Loan? Be Careful What You Use The Money For Home Mortgage Rates Up A Bit Both 30 and 15-Year Rates Up, Ending A Three Week Stretch Of Drops Inflation Isn't A Problem Consumer Prices Dip 0.2 Percent In November, After Flat October Be Your Own Real Estate Broker NEW YORK, May 22, 2004 (CBS) The housing market is hot. In fact, homes are in such high demand that many sellers are wondering if they even need to hire a real estate agent to broker the deal. Financial adviser Ray Martin gave some tips on The Saturday Early Show for owners who want to sell a home themselves. Home values are up, mortgage rates are low and properties in hot markets are selling in days. The only fly in the ointment for many sellers is the traditional six percent commission paid to real estate brokers who make the deal. As home values continue to skyrocket, the broker commission skyrockets as well. Meanwhile, it seems as though these brokers are doing nothing more than watching the home sell and then collecting a large commission. The thought of having to pay brokers $10,000 or more to sell a home that fetches a buyer in less than week is causing many sellers to stop and think: "Do I really need to spend that money?" FSBO (For Sale By Owner) can be a good option for some people, Martin says. If your home is in a hot location, at a price that is affordable to many potential buyers, and similar homes are in short supply, this can be a good strategy. But, Martins says, FSBO is not for everyone. The following are three potential pitfalls of being your own broker: Setting A Price: The housing market is constantly changing and you really need to have a good feel for the market in order to set a reasonable price. You don't want to lose money by naming a price that's too low, but your don't want to frighten buyers away by over-charging. Getting the Word Out: Putting a "For Sale" sign in your yard is probably not going to sell your house. Most buyers don't have time to cruise around neighborhoods, searching for signs. When you list your home with a broker, they place your information in the area's MLS (Multiple Listing Service). This alerts all real estate agents in the area that your home is for sale -- making it easy for them to pinpoint potential buyers and bring them by for a visit. You can't do this alone. Becoming Emotionally Involved: Selling a home is the second-most emotional transaction you'll ever make, Martin says, second only to buying a home. Mixing emotion and business is not a good thing. If a buyer comes through the door and immediately points out your home's flaws instead of the beautifully restored floors or lovingly painted walls, it's going to hurt. You may be tempted to turn down this buyer's offer, even if it's fair. This is where a realtor can help. It's not a home to them, it's a business deal -- one they want to close quickly and collect on. Despite these pitfalls, Martin says he is not trying to steer everyone away from selling their homes themselves. He says you need to be aware of the pitfalls and if you think you can tackle them, give it a try -- particularly if you're in a hot market. You can try FSBO for a set amount of time, and if you're not successful, you can turn to a broker. If nothing else, use the knowledge that you could be your own broker to negotiate a commission with your broker. That storied six percent is a result of tradition, not law; nowhere does it say that you have to pay brokers six percent. There are conflicting numbers on how many homeowners are selling their homes themselves. About 14 percent of sellers went solo in 2003, according to the National Association of Realtors. The Boston Globe newspaper reviewed sales in its area and found that closer to 25 percent of sales were FSBO. There's no question that there are a lot of services targeted to sellers looking to go FSBO. If you are looking for an alternative to a traditional real estate agent, here are some popular options: Flat Fee Brokers: There seem to be two major players here -- Help-U-Sell and Assist-2-Sell . Both companies are franchises that connect you with local licensed real estate agents. You show your home yourself, and these agents perform all other duties of a traditional broker. The best part, Martin says, is that you pay them one flat fee that varies based on home's value and location. If you pay them a little more, the realtors from these companies will show your house too. An example: a Help-U-Sell customer in Chicago was selling his home for $345,000. The six percent commission would have totaled $21,000. Instead, he paid Help-U-Sell $4,950 to sell his home. If the agent lists your home on the MLS, and another broker brings you a buyer, you will have to pay that broker their two or three percent commission. FSBO Marketing: Other companies such as FSBO.com and ForSaleByOwner.com offer you a variety of marketing options at different price points. You can choose to have your home listed on the companies' Web sites. You can pay more and have yard signs and color brochures designed for your home. Pay even more and have a virtual tour included in your home's listing. Each company is different and offers different packages. Martin says the ultimate packages, which costs $500 or more, allow you to list your home on the MLS -- the same place real estate agents list houses. Again, there's a catch here: if a buyer is brought to your home by an agent who saw the listing on MLS, you do have to pay that broker's two or three percent commission. Negotiated Broker Commission: Again, Martin says you don't have to pay a six percent commission. So don't! In fact, commissions now average a bit over five percent, according to a survey by Real Trends publishers. If your home is on the expensive side and in a hot market, have a serious conversation with your potential broker. Remind him or her that if you list with them, they will get paid. But if you strike out on your own, they get nothing. Isn't one or two percent better than nothing? MMIV, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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Home Equity Fraud How

Don’t Lose Your Home. Home Equity Fraud Home Equity Fraud Consumers Union West Coast Regional Office Don’t Lose Your Home. Home Equity Fraud How To Protect Yourself From Home Equity Lending Fraud DO Get free pre-loan counseling before you sign on the dotted line. Shop around for the best home equity loan for your financial situation. Read every word on any loan document before you sign. Avoid loans with one large "balloon payment" at the end. Protect your friends and neighbors by reporting home equity fraud immediately. DON’T Don’t fall for a loan from a door-to-door salesman or home improvement contractor who comes to your home. Don’t decide whether you can afford a loan by the monthly payments alone. Don’t sign anything that has blank spaces. Don’t take out a loan on your property for anyone else unless you can afford to lose that money forever. What Is Home Equity Fraud? Sometimes, taking out a loan against your home’s equity can be a good idea. Home equity borrowing should not be a problem as long as the loan is a fair one and you have the ability to repay the loan. Home equity lending fraud is different: Lenders seek you out and trick you into taking out a loan against your home which you cannot afford to repay. Most times, these loans have very high interest rates and steep fees. When you fall behind on your payments, the lender can take your home and all your equity through a legal process called foreclosure. The lender then owns your home. Once the damage is done, it is very hard to undo. Most people never get their homes back again. Why Should I Care? Nationally, home repair and home equity fraud have stripped the value from the homes of an estimated 100,000 people in 29 states. In the entire country, the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the areas hardest hit by home equity fraud. Real people, many of them senior citizens, have lost ownership of their homes and all their equity, with no hope of ever getting any of it back. Anyone with equity in a home is a potential target. You could be next. Your home equity is just like money. Protect it! If you are a homeowner or know someone who is, you should learn about home equity lending fraud. Knowing what to look for and how to protect yourself can keep you or a loved one from losing a home. Here’s How To Protect Yourself From The Most Common Types Of Home Equity Fraud: Don’t take out a loan from an uninvited door-to-door contractor who appears at your home. Instead: Many local government agencies have special programs to make it easy to repair housing. See if you qualify for one of these programs available in your area. See the Home Improvement Resource List, a separate Consumers Union publication. Find your own contractor; don’t wait for one to come to you. Shop for your own financing. You’ll probably get a better deal. Steer clear of door-to-door salespersons who want to fix your home after a disaster such as an earthquake or flood. Instead: Call the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 1(800)462-9029 for information about repairing and financing repairs to your home after a disaster. If you are in foreclosure because you couldn’t pay your mortgage, someone you never heard of will offer you a new loan. Watch out. Instead: Think about selling your home and keeping your equity rather than taking out another loan. See a credit counselor to talk about all of your alternatives. Don’t put your other debts "on the house" through a bill consolidation plan. When you consolidate credit card debt or your car loan, for example, into a home equity loan, you put your home on the line for that debt. Once you put that debt "on your house," you can lose your home if you don’t make those payments. Instead: Talk to a credit counselor. You can get help to work with your creditors to make payments more manageable, possibly without putting debt "on your house." Look Out For These Danger Signs "No Credit? No Job? No Problem!" "Don’t worry, you have plenty of equity in your home to qualify for a loan." Walk away from anyone who says any of these things to you. You may be dealing with someone who will treat you unfairly. They don’t care if you can pay the loan. They know they can legally take your house through foreclosure if you don’t pay. In their eyes, the one thing that "qualifies" you for a loan is your inability to pay it. Before you borrow against your home, ask yourself these two questions: Can I afford this loan? Just because a lender says you "qualify" doesn’t mean you are getting an affordable or fair loan. If you cannot afford the loan, you will lose your home. What will I do if I lose my home? Most people have nowhere to go after they lose their homes. Remember that it is easier to learn how to protect your home now than it is to pick up the pieces after it’s gone. Take advantage of free, local loan counseling. See the Resources section at the end of this pamphlet. Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Home! Here’s How: DO Get the "big picture" on a loan. Look at more than the monthly payments. Make sure that a loan’s interest rate and fees are competitive and fair. Shop around with different lenders to compare. Hang-up on unsolicited telephone callers. Toss-out mailers you receive from companies offering to arrange a home loan for you. Steer clear of high-pressure sales tactics, such as claims that an offer is good only for a limited time. Seek help from a trusted family member or friend who understands financial matters and can help you get free loan counseling. Avoid loans that are set up as "interest only, non-amortizing or partially amortizing loans." With this type of loan, you still owe the money you borrowed after you make all the payments. You must make one large, final payment, known as a balloon payment. If you can’t make this payment, you may lose your home through foreclosure. You should avoid these loans at all cost. Beware of lenders or contractors who try to trick you into signing away your home. Make sure that a "Contract for Home Improvement Services" is only that. Don’t give your house away by signing a "Deed of Trust" or a "Quitclaim Deed." Think twice about taking out a loan against your home to give money to anyone,even a friend or family member. Consider such a request only if you can afford lose that money forever. Otherwise, you may lose your house if the other person doesn’t repay you in time. Act fast if you were pressured into signing for a loan you didn’t really want or cannot afford. Federal law gives you three days to get out of a loan contract whenever your home is used as security for a home equity loan. You may cancel the loan for any reason, but only if you do it in writing within 3 days. This is known as the right of rescission. Contact an attorney immediately if you have any questions about whether your lender violated the law. DON’T Don’t sign anything related to a home loan without first obtaining independent, free advice from a nonprofit counseling agency. Check the Resources list below. Don’t take the first loan offer that lands in your lap. Shop around! Some lenders charge more than others do. Don’t trust door-to-door loan sellers. If you really need or want a home loan, you should make the first contact and carefully investigate all the possibilities before considering a loan. Don’t take out a loan that is made solely on the value of your home, not on your ability to repay it. Your home equity alone does not give you the income you need to make the monthly payments. Don’t borrow more money than you need. The bigger the loan, the more stake your lender will have in your home equity. Don’t sign a form with incorrect information about yourself on it. Don’t sign anything to do with your home that contains blank spaces. Once your signature is on a form, anyone can fill in those blank spaces with obligations that may be very different than the ones you have agreed to. Don’t sign any forms written in a language you do not understand. You may be signing away your home without even realizing it! It’s okay to say "I don’t understand and I will not sign this." Remember: if the offer is good today, it should be good tomorrow If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Resources Before you take out a home equity loan, get pre-loan counseling for free: San Francisco Bar Association of San Francisco Equity Fraud Hotline and lawyer referral (415) 782-8903 Consumer Credit Counseling Service (415) 788-0288 or (800) 777-7526 Consumer Action (415) 777-9635 Alameda County ECHO Housing (510) 271-7931 Contra Costa County ECHO Housing (925) 679-8023 San Mateo County Consumer Credit Counseling Service (800) 200-6444 Legal Aid Society of San Mateo (650) 377-0158 East Palo Alto Law Collective (650) 853-1600 Santa Clara County Consumer Credit Counseling Service (800) 969-7526 If you feel you are the victim of home equity lending fraud, call one of the local agencies above. Then call the National Fraud Information Center. File a written complaint against the lender with the appropriate local law enforcement and state regulatory agencies. National Fraud Information Center (800) 876-7060 Fraud reports from consumers are sent within minutes to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Law Enforcement: San Francisco Office of the District Attorney: (415) 553-1814 Alameda County Office of the District Attorney: (510) 569-9281 Contra Costa County Office of the District Attorney: (925) 646-4500 San Mateo County Office of the District Attorney: (650) 363-4677 Santa Clara County Office of the District Attorney, Real Estate Fraud Division (408) 792-2880 State Regulatory Agencies: Call each agency to see if the lender you are complaining about is licensed by that agency. Sometimes lenders are licensed by both agencies. California Department of Real Estate 185 Berry Street, Room 3400 San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 904-5925 California Department of Corporations 3700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 600 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (800) 347-6995 (toll free) [ Health ] [ Finance ] [ Food ] [ Product ] [ Other ] [ About CU ] [ News ] [ Tips ] [ Home ] Please contact us at: http://www.consunion.org/contact.htm All information ©1998 Consumers Union