Home Equity

Avoiding Home Equity Scams Avoiding Home Equity Scams Y ou could lose your home and your money if you borrow from unscrupulous lenders who offer you a high-cost loan based on the equity you have in your home. Certain lenders target homeowners who are elderly or who have low incomes or credit problems—and then try to take advantage of them by using deceptive practices. The Federal Trade Commission cautions all homeowners to be on the lookout for: Equity Stripping: The lender gives you a loan, based on the equity in your home, not on your ability to repay based on your income. If you can’t make the payments, you could end up losing your home. Loan Flipping: The lender encourages you to repeatedly refinance the loan and often, to borrow more money. Each time you refinance, you pay additional fees and interest points. That only serves to increase your debt. Credit Insurance Packing: The lender adds credit insurance to your loan, which you may not need. Bait and Switch: The lender offers one set of loan terms when you apply, then pressures you to accept higher charges when you sign to complete the transaction. Deceptive Loan Servicing: The lender doesn’t provide you with accurate or complete account statements and payoff figures. That makes it almost impossible for you to determine how much you have paid or how much you owe. You may pay more than you owe. Some of these practices violate federal credit laws dealing with disclosures about loan terms, discrimination based on age, gender, marital status, race, or national origin; and debt collection. You also may have additional rights under state law that would allow you to bring a law suit. The FTC suggests if you’re thinking about using your home as collateral for a loan, be careful. Unless you can make the loan payments out of current income, you could lose your home as well as the equity you’ve already built up. Some additional tips to remember: The lure of extra money or the chance to reduce monthly credit payments can be very costly in the long run. High interest rates and other credit costs could get you in over your head. Credit insurance may not be a good deal from a lender. If you want the added security of credit insurance, shop around. Don’t sign a loan agreement if the terms are not what you were given when you applied. Ask for an explanation of any dollar amount, term, or condition that you don’t understand. Federal law is very clear about what credit and loan term information must be provided in writing when you apply for a loan and before you sign any agreement. In addition, shop around for the best loan terms and interest rates. Contact lending institutions, such as banks and credit unions, and consult a legal or financial advisor, or someone you can trust before you make any loan decisions. Or contact your local Fair Housing Office, legal aid, or senior services organization for information and help. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues , visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel , a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSUMER 1-877-FTC-HELP www.ftc.gov Jan. 1998

New Homes Utilities/EEPS Service

Builders, Raters, Sponsors, & Lenders of New Homes : ENERGY STAR What is ENERGY STAR? | Newsroom Search Manufacturers Retailers Builders, Lenders, Raters & Sponsors of New Homes Utilities/EEPS Service & Product Providers Businesses Small Businesses Congregations HVAC Contractors PRODUCTS HOME IMPROVEMENT NEW HOMES BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT PARTNER RESOURCES -- Home > Partner Resources > Builders, Lenders, Raters & Sponsors of New Homes -- -- Builders, Raters, Sponsors, and Lenders of New Homes IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: EPA Releases Final New Guidelines for ENERGY STAR Qualified Homes What are ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes? Homes built to strict energy-efficiency guidelines using tried-and-true technologies and construction practices. Benefits of ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes Increased profits, customer satisfaction, and recognition, all while helping the environment. Builders , Raters , Utilities/Sponsors , Lenders , Other Partnering with ENERGY STAR Step-by-step guidance to help you capitalize on your ENERGY STAR partnership. Builders , Raters , Utilities/Sponsors , Lenders , Other Tools and Resources Logos, marketing examples, fact sheets, training presentations, a locator for finding other partners, incentives, and more. News and Policies Find out what's new, apply for an award, or examine program policies. Quick Links Partner Resources Partnership Agreements 100% Builder Commitment 2005 Outreach Partnership Homes Online Submission Tool Local/Regional Resources Partner Locator Regional Web Sites Marketing Resources Lender Resources Achievement Report ENERGY STAR Logos Advanced Lighting Package Sales Toolkit HomeCalc Brochures Presentations Customer Fact Sheets Technical Resources Indoor Air Package Builder Option Packages Manufactured Housing Guides Systems-built Housing Guides Revised Sampling Policy Do Even More with ENERGY STAR: Lighting Advanced Lighting Package Appliances Heating & Cooling Indoor Air Quality Kitchen Products | Home Improvement | New Homes | Business Improvement | Partner Resources Newsroom | Privacy | Contact Us | Site Index EPA Home EPA Search DOE Home DOE Search

home mortgages Let Ditech

Refinance Mortgage - Refinance Home Mortgage Refinance Home Mortgage Refinance Mortgage Refinance Home Mortgage : ditech.com strives to offer you the best refinance mortgage you can find. If you are looking for a refinance mortgage Ditech can help you. We refinance home mortgages Let Ditech refinance your home mortgage, we offer great home mortgage refinance rates. About Ditech Questions? Calculators Testimonials Live Chat Contact Us My Account Apply Now En Español -- Reach a home loan agent 24/7:   Refinance Overview     Start saving on your monthly payments or use your equity to get cash out with the following home mortgage refinance products: Refinance Lower your interest rate and start saving on your monthly payments. Both 15 year fixed rate or 30 year fixed rate products are available. View Refinance Rates $395.00 Refinance Flat Fee Option More details about our new $395.00 Flat Fee* option...   ARM Our Adjustable Rate Mortgage offers a low rate that is fixed for the first five years. This allows you to purchase ... get cash out of your home ... or refinance to lower your monthly payments at rates you thought you had missed. Rates may vary by State. View ARM Rates *Assumptions "We rolled a first and second loan together and took some other money out and paid off some credit cards and stuff. It was a very easy experience. When we consolidated the loans that we had, it actually cut our payments in half and there was over a $700 a month savings. The interest rate was lower over all. The payments were half and within 18 days we had everything done and had the checks in hand - yeah, we were just tickled to death that we could do it." Allen H, Mesa, AZ A GMAC Financial Services Company ditech.com, a part of the GMAC Financial Services family of companies, is ready to help customers with solutions to their financial needs. Imperfect Credit Looking to re-establish your credit? Want to consolidate your debt? more details Fast & Easy ditech.com, a national direct mortgage lender, offers some of the most competitive rates and fees available on first mortgages and home equity loans. Deal direct and get the right home loan for you without paying a commission or a broker fee to a middleman. The whole process is fast & easy. ditech.com. Speed Guaranteed (SM) ! "I've dealt with a few different companies and was totally unsatisfied until I got in touch with ditech. Very painless." - Charlene N. New Purchase   Overview Product Solutions Adjustable Rate Loan Home Strength Imperfect Credit 80/20 Program Overview Ditech $395 Flat Fee Moving Solutions Rates and Fees Rates at a Glance Payment Calculator Interest Rates Calculators Payment Calculator How Much Can I Afford? Free eAppraisal Frequent Questions Refinance   Overview Product Solutions Adjustable Rate Loan Imperfect Credit Ditech $395 Flat Fee Rates and Fees Rates at a Glance Payment Calculator Interest Rates Calculators Payment Calculator Free eAppraisal Frequent Questions Home Equity   Overview Product Solutions 125% Value Overview $49 2nd Mortgage Flat Fee Interest Only HELOC HELOAN vs. HELOC Benefit Comparison Detail Comparison Additional Research Home Improvements Financing Debt Consolidation Loan How Do Equity Loans Work? How Much Equity Do I Have? Types of Interest Types of Interest Rates Calculators Payment Calculator How Long to Pay Off My Credit Cards? Free eAppraisal Frequent Questions Home Equity Frequent Questions 125% Value Frequent Questions print bookmark size + : size ++ : size +++ Equal Housing Opportunity Lender   A GMAC Financial Services Company Assumptions | Disclosures | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Security | Site Map State licensing © 2005 ditech.com

Home Equity Conversion (HEC).

Home Equity Conversions: Reverse Mortgages Home Equity Conversions: Reverse Mortgages Authors: Celia Ray Hayhoe, Ph.D, CFP®, Family Resource Management Cooperative Extension Specialist and Stacey Williamson, Graduate Assistant; Virginia Tech Publication Number 354-025, Posted April 2004 Many senior adults are finding it hard to live on their fixed retirement incomes and are looking for ways to supplement those incomes. For some, the largest asset they own is their home, but they do not want to sell their home and move. For these individuals, there is an option called Home Equity Conversion (HEC). One type of home equity conversion is a reverse mortgage. The equity or cash value of the house is used to provide income to repay the loan. All reverse mortgage options are not the same. They have different eligibility requirements, income amounts, timing of payments, interest rates, and/or initial costs. Homeowners should compare the different options, keeping in mind their goals and needs. Advantages The value of your house, not your income, is used to determine eligibility. You can receive a lump sum, a line of credit, or a monthly amount, without having to make a monthly repayment. You do not have to sell your home and move, and can continue to live in the same familiar surroundings. You do not have to worry about losing your home to foreclosure since the payments are made out of your equity in the home, not from your income. The loan must be repaid when the house is no longer used as your personal residence. However, the lender can only look to the proceeds from the sale of the house for repayment. They cannot go to your heirs if the house sells for less than what was borrowed. Money can be used for any purpose. You must attend a free HECM/HUD approved counseling session to see if this type of mortgage is right for you. Disadvantages Interest for a reverse mortgage is compounded, and cannot be deducted on income taxes until you repay it. The income you receive decreases the equity in your home, and the equity may not be adequate for your future needs or for your estate. Interest rates and initial costs (application fees, points and closing costs) are usually higher for a reverse mortgage than for other equity loans. Income ends when you sell your home or no longer use it as a principal residence. Payments may affect Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid payments. You must attend a free HECM/HUD approved counseling session. This may add time to the process of obtaining a loan. You may need to pay off your existing mortgage out of the proceeds of your reverse mortgage. You will be required to maintain the house, pay the taxes, and carry property insurance. Eligibility You could be eligible if you own your own home, use the home as your principal residence, and are at least 62 years of age. You must also have adequate equity in the home. A lender looks at the equity in the home plus any expected appreciation or depreciation in the value of the home to calculate a base amount. The costs associated with any reverse mortgage loan (application fees, interest rates, closing costs, initial charges, sales commissions, and homeowner's insurance) also must be considered. All reverse mortgages currently available in Virginia require homeowner's insurance. The lender and the homeowner must work together to determine the type of payment, the payment amount, and the time period. This is determined not only by the calculations of the base amount by the lender, but also by keeping your goals and financial needs in mind. Income Income from a reverse mortgage is not taxable, and will not affect Medicare eligibility or benefits. But the added income can affect both Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid eligibility and benefits for Virginia residents. Confused? A home equity conversion is not a home equity loan! Home-equity loans require that a homeowner has enough income to pay back the loan, and the payments are made in monthly amounts. A home-equity loan would not work for the majority of senior adults who are living on limited fixed incomes and who could not afford a loan payment. Example A wide variety of loan options are available depending upon your age, the amount of equity available, the time period of the loan, and the way payments are disbursed. For example, Mary Jones, a 75-year-old widow whose home is her principal residence, is looking at a ten-year reverse mortgage that will provide her with additional monthly income of approximately $450. At the end of the ten years the monthly income payment will stop. But because her loan is through an insured lender (loans offered by HUD approved lenders have government guarantees), the loan will not have to be repaid until she sells the home, moves, or dies. Home Equity Conversion Checklist These questions can to help you determine if you are eligible for a home equity conversion (HEC). YES NO 1. Are you 62 years of age or older? _____ _____ 2. Is your mortgage paid off in full or nearly so? _____ _____ 3. Do you use your home as your primary residence? _____ _____ If you have answered yes to questions 1 through 3, you might want to consult with an HEC lender for specific information. The following questions will help to determine if you are eligible for a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) home equity conversion. A HUD-HEC is similar to other HECs but with additional requirements for the property and residents. 4. Is your home a single-family dwelling? _____ _____ 5. Will your home probably meet HUD minimum property standards? _____ _____ 6. Is your family income less than 80% of area median? _____ _____ If you have answered yes to questions 1 through 6; you might want to consult with a HUD-HEC lender for specific information. The following is a list of HEC/Reverse mortgage programs. FHA - HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage) Guaranteed by FHA/HUD Flexible Income Payment Option Growing Line of Credit Maximum Lending Limit - $ 280,749 Cash Account Flexible Income Payment Options Growing Line of Credit Higher Equity Release Options No Maximum Lending Limit HomeKeeper by Fannie Mae Guaranteed by Fannie Mae Line of Credit Options Maximum Lending Limit - $ 322,700 Zero Point Cash Account Closing Costs Limited Minimum Draw at Closing Required Interest Rate Cap No Maximum Lending Limit The following lenders offered HEC/Reverse mortgages as of March 2004: Mortgage Capital Investors Equity Division 6571 Edsall Road Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 941-0711 East West Mortgage - HECM, HK, CA 4321 Northview Drive Bowie, MD 20716 (866) 9REVERSE [(866) 973-8377] (301) 809-1568, ext. 225 Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corp. (Subsidiary of Lehman Brothers, FSB) - HECM, HK, CA (800) 368-3254 Reverse Mortgages of the Mid-Atlantic - HECM, HK, CA (800) 745-0102 Suntrust 564 Lynnhaven Parkway Virginia Beach, VA 23452 (757) 431-4876 Fidelity & Trust Mortgage, Inc. - HECM, HK, CA 7229 Hanover Parkway Suite C Greenbelt MD 20770 (703) 273-3797 (800) 458-4624 People's Choice Mortgage - HECM, HK, CA (757) 564-8596 Wells Fargo Home Mortgage - HECM, HK (888) 292-1180 Inclusion on this list of lenders does not imply endorsement by Virginia Cooperative Extension, nor does omission from this list imply a lack of endorsement. Home Equity Conversion Comparison Worksheet Name of Lender Features Payment Option: ----------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------- Lump Sum Option Line of Credit Option Monthly Benefit Option APR (Annual Percentage Rate) Time Period Application Costs Closing Costs Sales Commissions Insurance Costs Other Initial Charges For More Information AARP Home Equity Information Center 601 E. Street NW Washington D.C. 20004 (202) 638-2863 http://www.aarp.org/revmort/ Reverse Mortgage Money (866) 363-1914 requestinfo@reversemortgagemoney.com American Credit Counselors Tudor Square, Ste. 10 211 Roanoke St. Christiansburg, VA 24073 (800) 926-0042 virginia@cccsswva.org http://www.americancredit.org HECM Counseling National Center for Home Equity Conversion 360 Robert Street North Suite 403 St. Paul, MN 55101 (651) 222-6775 People Incorporated 1173 W Main St Abingdon, VA 24210-2428 (540) 623-9000 HECM Counseling Original authors: Patricia Gorman, graduate assistant, and Kathleen Parrott, former Extension housing specialist, Virginia View this document in PDF format Visit Virginia Cooperative Extension

Real Estate Investments AreSafe,

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