home equity. Why? Certain

Home Equity Scams: Borrowers Beware! Home Equity Loans : Borrowers Beware! D o you own your home? If so, it's likely to be your greatest single asset. Unfortunately, if you agree to a loan that's based on the equity you have in your home, you may be putting your most valuable asset at risk. Homeowners-particularly elderly, minority and those with low incomes or poor credit-should be careful when borrowing money based on their home equity. Why? Certain abusive or exploitative lenders target these borrowers, who unwittingly may be putting their home on the line. Abusive lending practices range from equity stripping and loan flipping to hiding loan terms and packing a loan with extra charges. The Federal Trade Commission urges you to be aware of these loan practices to avoid losing your home. The Practices Equity Stripping You need money. You don't have much income coming in each month. You have built up equity in your home. A lender tells you that you could get a loan, even though you know your income is just not enough to keep up with the monthly payments. The lender encourages you to "pad" your income on your application form to help get the loan approved. This lender may be out to steal the equity you have built up in your home. The lender doesn't care if you can't keep up with the monthly payments. As soon as you don't, the lender will foreclose-taking your home and stripping you of the equity you have spent years building. If you take out a loan but don't have enough income to make the monthly payments, you are being set up. You probably will lose your home. Hidden Loan Terms: The Balloon Payment You've fallen behind in your mortgage payments and may face foreclosure. Another lender offers to save you from foreclosure by refinancing your mortgage and lowering your monthly payments. Look carefully at the loan terms. The payments may be lower because the lender is offering a loan on which you repay only the interest each month. At the end of the loan term, the principal-that is, the entire amount that you borrowed-is due in one lump sum called a balloon payment. If you can't make the balloon payment or refinance, you face foreclosure and the loss of your home. Loan Flipping Suppose you've had your mortgage for years. The interest rate is low and the monthly payments fit nicely into your budget, but you could use some extra money. A lender calls to talk about refinancing, and using the availability of extra cash as bait, claims it's time the equity in your home started "working" for you. You agree to refinance your loan. After you've made a few payments on the loan, the lender calls to offer you a bigger loan for, say, a vacation. If you accept the offer, the lender refinances your original loan and then lends you additional money. In this practice-often called "flipping"-the lender charges you high points and fees each time you refinance, and may increase your interest rate as well. If the loan has a prepayment penalty, you will have to pay that penalty each time you take out a new loan. You now have some extra money and a lot more debt, stretched out over a longer time. The extra cash you receive may be less than the additional costs and fees you were charged for the refinancing. And what's worse, you are now paying interest on those extra fees charged in each refinancing. Long story short? With each refinancing, you've increased your debt and probably are paying a very high price for some extra cash. After a while, if you get in over your head and can't pay, you could lose your home. The "Home Improvement" Loan A contractor calls or knocks on your door and offers to install a new roof or remodel your kitchen at a price that sounds reasonable. You tell him you're interested, but can't afford it. He tells you it's no problem-he can arrange financing through a lender he knows. You agree to the project, and the contractor begins work. At some point after the contractor begins, you are asked to sign a lot of papers. The papers may be blank or the lender may rush you to sign before you have time to read what you've been given. The contractor threatens to leave the work on your house unfinished if you don't sign. You sign the papers. Only later, you realize that the papers you signed are a home equity loan. The interest rate, points and fees seem very high. To make matters worse, the work on your home isn't done right or hasn't been completed, and the contractor, who may have been paid by the lender, has little interest in completing the work to your satisfaction. Credit Insurance Packing You've just agreed to a mortgage on terms you think you can afford. At closing, the lender gives you papers to sign that include charges for credit insurance or other "benefits" that you did not ask for and do not want. The lender hopes you don't notice this, and that you just sign the loan papers where you are asked to sign. The lender doesn't explain exactly how much extra money this will cost you each month on your loan. If you do notice, you're afraid that if you ask questions or object, you might not get the loan. The lender may tell you that this insurance comes with the loan, making you think that it comes at no additional cost. Or, if you object, the lender may even tell you that if you want the loan without the insurance, the loan papers will have to be rewritten, that it could take several days, and that the manager may reconsider the loan altogether. If you agree to buy the insurance, you really are paying extra for the loan by buying a product you may not want or need. Mortgage Servicing Abuses After you get a mortgage, you receive a letter from your lender saying that your monthly payments will be higher than you expected. The lender says that your payments include escrow for taxes and insurance even though you arranged to pay those items yourself with the lender's okay. Later, a message from the lender says you are being charged late fees. But you know your payments were on time. Or, you may receive a message saying that you failed to maintain required property insurance and the lender is buying more costly insurance at your expense. Other charges that you don't understand-like legal fees-are added to the amount you owe, increasing your monthly payments or the amount you owe at the end of the loan term. The lender doesn't provide you with an accurate or complete account of these charges. You ask for a payoff statement to refinance with another lender and receive a statement that's inaccurate or incomplete. The lender's actions make it almost impossible to determine how much you've paid or how much you owe. You may pay more than you owe. Signing Over Your Deed If you are having trouble paying your mortgage and the lender has threatened to foreclose and take your home, you may feel desperate. Another "lender" may contact you with an offer to help you find new financing. Before he can help you, he asks you to deed your property to him, claiming that it's a temporary measure to prevent foreclosure. The promised refinancing that would let you save your home never comes through. Once the lender has the deed to your property, he starts to treat it as his own. He may borrow against it (for his benefit, not yours) or even sell it to someone else. Because you don't own the home any more, you won't get any money when the property is sold. The lender will treat you as a tenant and your mortgage payments as rent. If your "rent" payments are late, you can be evicted from your home. Protecting Yourself You can protect yourself against losing your home to inappropriate lending practices. Here's how: Don't: Agree to a home equity loan if you don't have enough income to make the monthly payments. Sign any document you haven't read or any document that has blank spaces to be filled in after you sign. Let anyone pressure you into signing any document. Agree to a loan that includes credit insurance or extra products you don't want. Let the promise of extra cash or lower monthly payments get in the way of your good judgment about whether the cost you will pay for the loan is really worth it. Deed your property to anyone. First consult an attorney, a knowledgeable family member, or someone else you trust. Do: Ask specifically if credit insurance is required as a condition of the loan. If it isn't, and a charge is included in your loan and you don't want the insurance, ask that the charge be removed from the loan documents. If you want the added security of credit insurance, shop around for the best rates. Keep careful records of what you've paid, including billing statements and canceled checks. Challenge any charge you think is inaccurate. Check contractors' references when it is time to have work done in your home. Get more than one estimate. Read all items carefully. If you need an explanation of any terms or conditions, talk to someone you can trust, such as a knowledgeable family member or an attorney. Consider all the costs of financing before you agree to a loan. For More Information 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 April 1998

Home Mortgage

Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs Primary Mortgage Loan Page | Home | About WDVA | Current Events | Forms & Brochures | News & Publications | Federal Veterans Benefits | State Veterans Benefits | Eligibility | Education Programs | Emergency Grants | Employment Assistance | Help for the Homeless | I Owe You Program | Job Retraining Grants | Loans | Military Funeral Honors | Transportation to VA Medical Appointments | Veterans Cemeteries | Veterans Homes | Veterans Memorials | Veterans Museum | Veterans Service Offices | Women Veterans | Veterans Links | Site Map | Contact WDVA | Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs "Making a difference in the lives of Wisconsin Veterans" > Home > State Veterans Benefits > Loans > Primary Mortgage Loan Home Loan How to Apply | Requirements | Eligibility Current Interest Rate 5.99% Don't miss out on the ADVANTAGES of a WDVA Primary Mortgage Loan! Finance up to 95% of the purchase price of an existing home or cost to construct a new home. Refinance the balance due on mortgage loans. 30-year Fixed Rate -Lower monthly principal and interest payments that will never increase. Low down payment (5% down). Low closing costs, no points . No prepayment penalty. WDVA pays the loan origination fees of veterans with 30% or more service conected disabilities. No private mortgage insurance (PMI). Lenders require PMI for loans with less than a 20% down payment. Wisconsin offers a state veterans home loan program, entitled the Primary Mortgage Loan (PML), that is different from the USDVA Home Loan Guaranty Program. The state veterans home loan may be used for: Purchase or purchase and improvement of a single family home or condominium. Construction of a new single family home. Purchase of certain existing 2 to 4-unit owner occupied residence. (Must be occupied as borrower's principal residence.) Refinance of the balance due on existing mortgage loans used for purchase, construction, or improvement of a residence. COMPARE MONTHLY PAYMENTS for a $250,000, 30 year, 5% down Conventional WDVA Savings Rate 5.85% 5.99% P&I $1,475 $1,497 PMI $163 $0 Payment $1,638 $1,497 $141 SAVE $1,692 ANNUALLY Requirements The state veterans home loan is available to: Eligible Wisconsin veterans. Members and former members of the National Guard and Reserve who have completed 6 years of continuous service under honorable conditions. Unremarried spouses and dependent children of eligible deceased veterans. Eligibility Before you can apply for a loan you must establish eligibility for Wisconsin veterans benefits and then obtain a Certificate of Eligibility. Contact your County Veterans Service Office for assistance. If you have had past benefits with WDVA, you can obtain your Certificate of Eligibility on our Web site. How To Apply Bring your WDVA Certificate of Eligibility to a participating lender when you apply for your state veterans home loan. Local banks, savings and loans, credit unions, and mortgage brokers participate in our home loan program. For More Information For loan-specific questions, call 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387), or email the Loan Section . For eligibility and application process questions, contact your County Veterans Service Office . The information above regarding WDVA loans is not all-inclusive and may change without notice. WARNING: The WDVA receives a statewide support lien docket listing all individuals who have a delinquent child-support obligation in Wisconsin. According to state law, the WDVA may not approve a Primary Mortgage Loan or a Home Improvement Loan for any applicant on the docket unless the applicant provides one of the following items: Provides a statement signed by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development or its designee showing that all delinquent obligations have been paid. A copy of a child-support repayment agreement that has been kept current for the six month period before the date the WDVA receives the application as long as no lien exists. Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs 30 W. Mifflin Street • Madison, WI 53703 (608) 266-1311 or toll-free 1-800-WIS-VETS (947-8387) Legal Notices and Disclaimers Email: Webmaster

Florida Real Estate

South Florida Real Estate - Homes, Condos, Apartments For Rent & For Sale - Palm Beach Post Real Estate Jobs | Autos | Classifieds | Personals | Shopping | Health | Travel Travel | Subscribe | Archives | Customer Care | Today's Paper All Residential | Condos | Luxury | Commercial | Land/Lots Neighborhood, School & Community Info Due to the storm, some information may be incomplete. ------ Search By Web ID What's a Web ID? Mapping the Housing Boom • Where The Investors Are. • Where and why prices and sales have jumped. • This Week's Housing Boom Advertisers Buying or Refinancing? • Mortgage Lender Guide | Mortgage Calculators Browse new homes in Real Estate Weekend Search the New Homes Locator Directory Find ads & articles from Residences - our guide to existing home sales View Rental ads in The BIG Apartment Magazine This month's featured... Developments | Properties | Realtors This week's... Hot Properties | Hot Rentals Must See! Open Houses Neighborhood Experts • Find a Real Estate Agent • Find a Real Estate Company • Find a Rental Agent LaPalmaInteractivo.com Clasificados • Clasificados en Español This Week's Local Commercial Real Estate • From Our Business to Business Section • Search For Sale Commercial Real Estate Listings Home Improvement • Design Center | Service Directory | Gardening New to the area? • Newcomer's Guide | Neighborhoods | Schools Local Property Values • Check Out Area Property Sales For information about advertising opportunities contact Linda Goings a product of The Palm Beach Post Classifieds ©2005 The Palm Beach Post By using PalmBeachPost.com, you accept the terms of our visitor agreement . Please read it. Customer Care | Privacy Policy | Want to advertise here? | Job Opportunities

Property Search How Fannie

Resources: Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search Our Business Is The American Dream Search Home Fannie Mae News Media Initiatives Issues & Commentary Translated Documents About Us About Fannie Mae Corporate Governance Investor Relations Careers For Business Partners Affordable Housing & Community Development Single-Family Multifamily Tools & Resources Debt Securities Mortgage-Backed Securities For Home Buyers & Homeowners Homepath Find a Mortgage Find a Lender Search Resources Calculators Checklists, Tip Sheets & Worksheets Counselors & Agencies Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search How Fannie Mae Saves Home Buyers Money Glossary Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search To help your search, please provide the state where you want to search for a property. Or, for a more specific search, provide the state and city; the state and ZIP code; or the state, city, and ZIP code. You can also search for a specific property type by selecting either single-family, 2-4 unit, or condo/co-op from the "Property Type" drop-down menu. You can sort your results by price, type of property, or ZIP code by selecting from the "Sorted By" options. Your use of the Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search is subject to the following terms and conditions. Price Range: No Minimum $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $375,000 $400,000 $425,000 $450,000 $475,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 More than $1,000,000 to $0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 $80,000 $90,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $375,000 $400,000 $425,000 $450,000 $475,000 $500,000 $600,000 $700,000 $800,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 No Maximum City: (To include multiple cities, separate each city by a comma.) State (required) : Select a State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington, DC West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Guam Puerto Rico Virgin Islands ZIP Code: Property Type: Any Single-Family 2-4 Unit Condo/Co-op Sorted By: No Sort City Price Type Zip ©1998-2004 Fannie Mae Contact Us FAQ Site Map Advanced Search Privacy Legal

HOUSE RENTAL SLEEPS UP

Azillanet delightful house rental, Languedoc, South France. VILLAGE HOUSE FOR RENT IN AZILLANET MINERVOIS, LANGUEDOC HOME FRANCE HOUSE VILLA RENTALS VILLAGE HOUSE RENTAL SLEEPS UP TO 7 5 MINS TO RIVER OR LAKE SWIMMING TERRACE WITH MAGNIFICENT VIEWS RENOVATED TO HIGH STANDARD CLOSE TO MINERVE, CARCASSONNE, NARBONNE, AND MEDITERRANEAN BEACHES A house in the quaint village of Azillanet, near Olonzac and Minerve, with magnificient views from the terrace. Situated in the heart of the Minervois region, close to the Mediterranean. Nearest swimming: River, 4 km. Lake, 7km. Sea, 37 km ACCESS: Airports - Carcassonne (40 mins), Toulouse (1h30m), Montpellier (1h30m), Barcelona (3hrs) Larger photo - Azillanet rental DETAILS OF ACCOMMODATION This delightful village house has been fully renovated , and special efforts have been invested in trying to bring out its traditional features. It is situated in the quiet village of Azillanet, close to Minerve, at the top of a narrow street, the rue du Couvent, very peaceful and safe for children, next to the large Church square with plenty of room for parking. Entering through double half-glazed doors, one sees a large kitchen/ dining/ living room. The kitchen is equipped with a stove, fridge and freezer, and an open fireplace with a woodburner stands on the side. To the left of the kitchen is a bathroom with a washbasin, shower, W.C. and a washing machine. To the back of the kitchen/dining area, equipped with a large dining-room table, is a lounge/ living area. Stairs lead to the upper floor with two double bedrooms, and one large single bedroom as well as an area with a cupboard. Access to the single bedroom is through one of the double bedrooms. The stairs lead up to the another floor, with a landing, off which is a twin bedroom and a private roof terrace with magnificent views over the village rooves, to the Aude valley plain, the Pyréneés, and the Black Mountains. The terrace is furnished with garden furniture and a barbecue. It is totally private with no windows overlooking it. Special features: Electric heating in each room. View from terrace Dining / kitchen area Lounge area View from 2nd floor bedroom 2nd floor landing 1st floor double bedroom 2nd floor twin bedroom AZILLANET AND SURROUNDING AREA Azillanet is a small village of 230 inhabitants including a small grocery shop, butcher, post office, excellent cave cooperative and restaurant. The bread van selling baguettes and croissants stops outside the house at 8.55 every morning. Olonzac, only 4 kms away offers a wider variety of shops and has a market every Tuesday morning and another one on Fridays in the summer. The village is situated at the heart of the Minervois, renowned for its red wines and is located where the river plain changes to a picturesque landscape of limestone gorges, hills, and vineyards. In the plain, a short distance away is the Canal du Midi (where boats can be rented) and the Lac de Jouarres, a small lake offering beaches, a cafe restaurant and swimming Ten minutes up into the hills is the magical village of Minerve, straddling deep river gorges, with natural bridges, where swimming is possible. A village known for the Cathar martyrs that died after a long seige by Simon de Montfort. A village with great restaurants, art gallery, streets and mountain paths to discover. The old washhouse, Azillanet Map showing location of Azillanet, Languedoc DESCRIPTION OF SURROUNDING AREA Thirty minutes away in one direction are the cities of Carcassonne with its magnificent medieval walled city, and in the other direction the cities of Béziers - well known for its fêtes in the Summer months (with bull fighting) and its flower market, and Narbonne, with its Roman museum and sites, shops and restaurants, and its close neighbour the endless miles of beaches at Narbonne Plage, Gruissan, and beyond. To the south east are the hills of the Corbières with the beautiful abbeys at Lagrasse and Fontfroide, the mountainous castles of Quéribus and Peyrepertuse, as well as the idyllic seaside resort of Collioure. ACCESS Airports - Carcassonne (40 mins), Toulouse (1h30m), Montpellier (1h30m), Barcelona (3hrs). Railway (TGV) - Narbonne (40 mins) . HOUSE FOR RENT IN AZILLANET, MINERVOIS - SLEEPS UP TO 7, TERRACE Bookings are Saturday to Saturday. Prices include bed linen, but do not include towels. Payment is in euros - though Pounds sterling is also accepted. Rentalcosts below are based on the Euro value (£GPB and $US are approximate) LONG TERM RENTALS AVAILABLE WEEKLY RATES 2006 £ GBP $ US EUROS OTHER MONTHS £215 $400 €320 APRIL, MAY £270 $500 €400 JUNE, SEPTEMBER £305 $565 €450 JULY, AUGUST £375 $690 €550 Contact Joelle Saunders at Tel (33) 4 68 91 30 61 E-mail: azillanet@southfrance.com Rue du Couvent Azillanet 34210 Olonzac France South France Guide | Languedoc Sights | Art Workshops | Vacation Properties | Properties for sale Advertise your house