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Bad Credit Home Loan - Bad Credit Home Equity Loan - Poor Credit Home Mortgage Loan Bad Credit Home Loan - Bad Credit Home Equity Loan - Poor Credit Home Mortgage Loan Poor Credit Home Equity Loan Bad Credit Home Loan - Imperfect Credit? Not a problem at ditech.com with their Poor Credit Home Mortgage Loan. If you are looking for a Bad Credit Home Loan, Ditech can help you. Get our Poor Credit Home Mortgage Loan rates today. Ditech is now offering a Bad Credit Home Equity Loan product. About Ditech Questions? Calculators Testimonials Live Chat Contact Us My Account Apply Now Reach a home loan agent 24/7:   Product Solutions Imperfect Credit     Imperfect Credit? Not a problem at ditech.com! Had a setback? Looking to re-establish your credit? ditech.com can help with your home financing needs even if you have imperfect credit * . Cash out equity Consolidate high interest and credit card debt Close with full/limited or stated income documentation Get pre-approved within minutes To us, your future is more important than your past Imperfect Credit products include: 2/28 ARM 3/27 ARM 15/30 year fixed loans Imperfect Credit? Not a problem at ditech.com! Call 1-800-700-9054 or click here to request a call from a dedicated agent. * Currently not available in Alabama, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Wyoming. Available on 15 and 30 year fixed rate refinance and purchase transactions including 2/28 and 3/27 Adjustable Rate Mortgages. Subject to underwriting approval. Not all applicants will be approved. Lowest credit score of 475. Maximum debt ratio of 55%. Consolidating debts may increase time and/or the total amount needed to repay your debt. Home Price Review Find home sale prices in your neighborhood! Your zip code: Non-Prime Loans Call ditech.com at 1-800-700-9054 for more information. click here to request a call from a dedicated agent. "I loved the web-based interface." - Thomas A. 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

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Amazon.com: House of Wax(1953): Video Your Store Video See All 32 Product Categories   Your Account | Cart | Wish List | Help | advanced search | browse genres | top sellers | new & future releases | kids & family | movie showtimes | today's deals | used videos Search Amazon.com VHS Used Videos DVD DVD & VHS Movie Showtimes Web Search This item is not eligible for Amazon Prime, but over a million other items are. Join Amazon Prime today. Already a member? Sign in . VIDEO INFORMATION Explore This Video buying info technical information editorial reviews customer reviews RATE THIS VIDEO I dislike it I love it! 1 2 3 4 5 Edit your ratings Favorite Magazines! Explore our new Magazine Subscriptions store . Visit the DVD Store The Tingler DVD 35 used & new from $2.40 Have one to sell? House of Wax(1953) see larger picture Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days 35 used & new from $2.40 Edition: See more product details Customers who bought this video also bought: Diary of a Madman / Movie VHS Haunted Palace (1963) / Movie VHS The Raven VHS The Pit and The Pendulum VHS Pinky VHS Explore Similar Items : 5 in Video , and 20 in DVD Customers who viewed this videoalso viewed: Mystery of the Wax Museum VHS Dr X VHS Explore Similar Items : 2 in Video , and 8 in DVD Product Details Director: Andr De Toth Format: Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC Rated: Studio: Warner Home Video Video Release Date: July 28, 1998 VHS Features: NTSC format ( US and Canada only. This VHS will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about VHS formats .) Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC From IMDb: Quotes & Trivia ASIN: 0790736055 Other Formats: DVD Average Customer Review: Based on 58 reviews. Write a review . Amazon.com Sales Rank: Today: #767 in Video Yesterday: #1,048 in Video Editorial Reviews Amazon.com House of Wax brought Vincent Price into the horror genre, where he fit as snugly as a scalpel in a mad scientist's hand. A remake of the 1933 film Mystery of the Wax Museum , this entertaining Gothic shocker casts Price as a sculptor of wax figures; his unwilling victims--er, "models"--lend their bodies to his lifelike depictions of Marie Antoinette and Joan of Arc. The film was one of the top 10 moneymakers of its year, thanks in part to the 3-D gimmick, which explains why so many things are aimed at the camera (why else would the paddleball man be there?). Footnote to history: director Andre De Toth was blind in one eye, and thus could not see in three dimensions. --Robert Horton Spotlight Reviews (What's this?) Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. 11 of 11 people found the following review helpful: Solid, 50s Gothic Horror Flick , October 11, 2004 Reviewer: Westley (The South)- See all my reviews Horror films in the 1950s were often set in earlier times - including "House of Wax" - a gothic-styled thriller. Vincent Price stars, and this movie was his first of many, many horror films. He's perfect in this role, and it's puzzling why no one had cast him as this type of character before. He plays Prof. Henry Jarrod, a wax figure sculptor who's far too obsessed with his work. He's the head of an unsuccessful wax museum and watches in disgust as other museums make money by showing horror style wax figures, such as mass murderers. When his museum is burned to the ground, he re-emerges and seeks vengeance on persons responsible. The film received a great deal of buzz as the second 3-D film released by a major studio ("Bwana Devil" was the first); not surprisingly, it was a major hit, becoming the 7th biggest money-maker of 1953. "House of Wax" was actually a remake of a 1933 film, "Mystery of the Wax Museum." In addition, a remake of this film is currently in the works, and should be released in 2005. One of the stars of the upcoming film is Paris Hilton, which should be interesting! Although I prefer Castle's horror films from this period, Price alone makes this film worthwhile. Carolyn Jones ("Addams Family") is also fun as a kind harlot. Overall, the movie holds up pretty well, mostly because of its creepy tone. I saw the movie in 2-D but still enjoyed it quite a bit. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 18 of 19 people found the following review helpful: one of Price's best films , October 8, 2004 Reviewer: Deborah MacGillivray (Scotland, England & US)- See all my reviews This movie has wit, excellent pacing and a strong supporting cast (including a blonde Carolyn Jones "Morticia" from the Addams Family) and a small role for Charles Bronson (playing Igor and billed as Charles Buchinsky). Prince gets to be both understated and hammy in the brilliant film, that he is likely best know for. It catches the atmosphere of the Gaslight period, and is lighting speed, as Price goes from a brilliant artist of life-like wax figures, to a scarred man, nearly killed by his partner wanting the insurance. He is forced to watch his two crowning glories, his Joan of Arc and his Marie Antoinette destroyed in the fire. With scared hands, he is forced to use bodies to fill his new house of wax, while Price also manages to meet out a little revenge to his former partner. At first bodies are vanishing from the morgue, but when Price sees Jones - the living image of Joan of Arc - and Phyllis Kirk, his Marie Antoinette come to life in his mind - he knows he must possess the bodies of both women to see if greatest works recreated. Is so spooky, and Kirk ably screams her way from one mishap to the next. Just does not get any better. --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) All Customer Reviews Average Customer Review: Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers. I'm Melting! Melllting!... , December 29, 2005 Reviewer: Bindy Sue Fr?nk?nschtein "bigfootsalienbaby" (under the rubble)- See all my reviews Poor Henry Jarrod (Vincent Price). He's a wax-sculptor / wax museum owner who just wants to bring a little beauty into the world w/ his life-like, historical figures. Unfortunately, the public doesn't want beauty, it wants wax versions of murderers and sensationalism. Jarrod's partner knows this and decides to torch the museum for the insurance money. When Jarrod resists, he gets torched as well. Years later, a new wax museum opens, run by Henry Jarrod! He didn't die after all. Now, people are being murdered by a mysterious, disfigured man in a black hat and cloak. Their bodies are then stolen from the morgue! Where are they going, and why are Jarrod's new wax figures so eerily familiar looking? HOUSE OF WAX is the first of a long line of horror / revenge movies for Vincent. You can see the same tormented / demented soul here that would later shine in movies like PIT AND THE PENDULUM, THEATRE OF BLOOD, MADHOUSE, THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES, and DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN. HOUSE OF WAX is an excellent remake of the 1933 film MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM w/ Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray (both are also in The Vampire Bat and Doctor X). I love both movies! While HOUSE is more gothic, MYSTERY is more '30s pulp. They each have their own creepy charm and interesting plotpoints. Atwill is sedate yet sinister, while Wray is her usual beautiful, vulnerable self. HOUSE OF WAX / MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM make a great double feature... --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) House of Wax- Phyllis Kirk , December 18, 2005 A Kid's Review An otherwise corny film, but viewers can delight in the closeup shots of Miss Kirk's beautiful wriggling toes as she struggles with her iron clamps that hold her down. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: GOOD OLD FASHIONED GOTHIC THRILLS , November 6, 2005 Reviewer: Michael Butts (Martinsburg, WV USA)- See all my reviews It's 1953, and Vincent Price is about to appear in his first horror film, a move that of course predicated what was to be the genre we remember this marvelous actor for. Filmed in 3-D, a feat in itself for fifty years ago, this tale revolves around Price, a wax museum curator, who is badly disfigured in a fire set by his greedy partner (the effable Roy Roberts) in order to get the twenty five thousand dollars in insurance money. A few years later, a now demented Price wants revenge and gets it, while setting up a fanciful new wax museum whose figures have a secret twist. We all know how they're made, but it's fun guessing along. Carolyn Jones (Addams Family), Phyllis Kirk, Frank Lovejoy and Charles Bronson all show up in supporting roles and the end result is a campy, enjoyable thriller, actually much more interesting than the confusing 2005 remake. Price fans will love this one. --This text refers to the DVD edition Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) 1 of 2 people found the following review helpful: Vincent Price enters the world of horror movies via the "House of Wax" , October 26, 2005 Reviewer: Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City: Duluth, MN United States)- See all my reviews With the new "House of Wax" out on DVD this week I thought it was time to go back and see the original version with Vincent Price. Of course, director Andr De Toth's 1953 film was based on Michael Curtiz's slightly superior 1933 film "Mystery of the Wax Museum," which why those two films have much more in common that the two "House of Wax" films. Besides, this "House of Wax" was shot in 3-D and part of the fun in watching it again is to spot the 3-D effect. The opening titles and the ping pong player (Reggie Rymal) going after our popcorn are the most obvious ones, but you will notice the film is not full of obvious 3-D shots (pay attentions to limbs and such, especially on the Can-Can dancers). The craze was launched the previous year with the release of "Bwana Devil," in an attempt to win back audiences from the exploding success of television. Fortunately, "House of Wax" stands on its own. This time the setting is in Baltimore before the Civil War rather than contemporary New York City. Henry Jarrod (Vincent Price) is a brilliant artist when it comes to making wax figures, although the way he talks to his creations makes us doubt his sanity. When Jarrod's partner, Matthew Burke (Roy Roberts), tries to burn down their wax museum for the insurance money, Jarrod fights him and is presumed killed in the inferno trying to rescue his beloved creations. Years later a hideously disfigured man kills both Burke and his gold digging mistress, Cathy Gray (Carolyn Jones), whose bodies are stolen from the morgue. At this same time Jarrod, now rolling around in a wheelchair with his hands horrible burned by the fire, opens up his new House of Wax. Jarrod has become interested in using Sue Allen (Phyllis), the ex-roommate of Burke's dead mistress, as the model for his new Marie Antoinette. Sue is seeing Scott Andrews (Paul Picerni), who is working as one of Jarrod's assistants, along with the deaf-mute Igor (Charles Bronson when he was still going by Buchinsky) and the squirrelly Leon Averill (Nedrick Young). Meanwhile, Lt. Brennan (Frank Lovejoy) and Sgt. Jim Shane (Dabbs Greer), are investigating the disappearing corpses and trying to figure out the mystery. The problem is that from the viewers point of view it is clear who is doing the murders, so there are no real surprises here. The only really spooky part is when the shadowy figure is following the damsel in distress through the misty streets. But there is fun to be had in just seeing the displays of wax works in the two museums, both of which are filmed in such rich colors that you forget their are dead people underneath the wax. If you have ever been to a real wax museum, that is to say a good one like one of Madame Tussaud's (in London for me), the only real difference is that the chamber of horrors is dimly lit to heighten the effects (and the shocks), while Jarrod's displays are bathed in light (all the better to see them in). Besides, it is the idea of what those figures really are that is at play here. The whole idea of preserving corpses as art, whether you use wax or plaster (as in "A Bucket of Blood") is pretty creepy. The whole idea of displaying perfectly preserved corpses, as was done with Vladimir Lenin and Eva Peron, seems rather ghoulish if you are not part of those respective cults of personality. The recent controversy over whether sending plastinated corpses on exhibition tours crosses the line between science education and desecration speaks to this as well. The climax of these films always comes when the wax breaks or melts away and the horrible truth is revealed. "House of Wax" also has the added advantage of letting us see Vincent Price's face crumble away to reveal the horrors beneath, which would be repeated in the Dr. Phibes movies. In fact, it was "House of Wax" that effectively launched Price on his career in horror films for which he is ultimately remembered. Was this review helpful to you? ( Report this ) See all 58 customer reviews... So You'd Like To... Own the Ultimate Horror Collection? :by Lonely Schoolboy , Screenwriter Watch Horror Movies :by jem-aja , Horror Fan find out horror's REAL timeline? :by Wes , horror fanatic, monster hunter Listmania! The Price of Legend: The 10 Best Vincent Price Appearances :A list by owl_stretching_time , Film Merchant and Price Nut. My Favorite Vincent Price Films :A list by Trish , Vinnie fan Best Classic Horror Movies--EVER :A list by Trish , Horror buff Browse for VIDEO in: Amazon.com Outlet > Video Outlet > Deals Under $12 VHS > Genres > Horror > General VHS > Genres > Horror > Classic Horror & Monsters > General VHS > Today's Deals in Video > Deals Under $12 VHS > Studio Specials > Warner Home Video > Warner Video Bargains > Horror • I have seen this video, and I want to review it. • tell a friend about this item . • Write a So You'd Like to... guide . • Check Purchase Circles . For more information about "House of Wax," visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) Suggestion Box Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. If you've found something incorrect, broken, or frustrating on this page, let us know so that we can improve it. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to suggestions made via this form. If you need help with an order, please contact Customer Service . 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Home Mortgage

NYS Banking Department-Residential Home Mortgage Rates from HSH Associates Interest Rate Information Mortgage Rates The information contained in this section provides a sample of the mortgage rates by region across the state. The entities listed for each region are representative of the mortgage lenders in the region. This is by no means an exhaustive list, nor is it meant to be. The rates listed may not be the most competitive you can find and are meant only to convey a range. The Banking Department recommends that consumers shop around to find the rates and terms that fit their needs by contacting a variety of mortgage lenders including commercial banks , savings banks and mortgage bankers . The Banking Department warns home buyers and owners to carefully review the terms of any loan and to consult a lawyer before signing any documents. For more information and tips on mortgages, read Shopping for a Mortgage: What you need to know in the consumer section of this Website. Capital Region Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany,Rensselaer, Greene and Columbia counties Central New York Cayuga, Oswego, Onondaga, Cortland and Madison counties Finger Lakes Region Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Genessee, Wyoming, Livingston, Ontario, Seneca and Yates counties Long Island Nassau and Suffolk counties Mid-Hudson Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam,Westchester and Rockland counties Mohawk Valley Oneida, Herkimer, Hamilton, Fulton, Montgomery and Schoharie counties New York City Kings, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx and Richmond counties NYC Co-operative Apartment Loans Five Boroughs plus North Country Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton and Essex counties Southern New York Steuben, Schulyer, Chemung, Tompkins, Tioga, Broome,Ostego, Delaware and Chenango counties Western New York Niagara, Erie, Chautaqua, Cattaraugus and Allegheny counties First and Junior Lien Mortgage Loans- Calculate Your Payments Interest Rates in Text (for Downloading) Note: The Banking Department provides external links as a public service. The inclusion of, or linking to, other Web site URLs does not imply our endorsement of, nor responsibility for, those Web sites, but has been done as a convenience to our Web site visitors. Mortgage Rates provided by HSH Associates, Financial Publishers, Pompton Plains, NJ 800-873-2837 | Home | Search | SiteMap | | Interest Rates | | Credit Cards | MortgageRates | Home Equity Lines of Credit | | Home Equity Loans | New Auto Loans | Used Auto Loans | Last Modified October 17, 2005 FastCounter by bCentral

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Welcome to FHLB Cincinnati! -- -- Members Only Login User Name: Password: -- Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy Many documents on this site require Adobe Acrobat. Download Now Housing Workshops The FHLBank is holding regional workshops on the Affordable Housing Program (AHP) and Welcome Home program from January 19 through February 2 throughout the District. The AHP workshops will focus on the online AHP application, which opens February 1 with a deadline of March 31. Some of the topics included in the Welcome Home workshops are eligibility; program changes for 2006; and reserving, requesting and receiving funds. The Welcome Home program will open on February 1. FHLBank Cincinnati's Fourth-Quarter Dividend Approved The Federal Housing Finance Board's Office of Supervision has approved a fourth-quarter dividend of 5.75 percent per annum for the period October 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005, compared to 4.875 for the third quarter. This dividend will be paid in the form of additional shares of capital stock on December 31, 2005. FHLBank Closed Monday, December 26 and Monday, January 2 In observance of Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the FHLBank will be closed on Monday, December 26 and Monday, January 2. Happy holidays to all! Year-End Deposit Pricing, Advance Requests, and Funds Transfer Notices Due to the potential for volatility in the Federal funds market during the holiday season, the FHLBank has modified the following policies and procedures related to its services. The FHLBank will reserve the right to price funds from incoming wires received after 2:00 p.m. EST, at the prevailing rate at that particular time. In order to ensure same day credit for incoming wires, the wire transfer must be received by 3:00 p.m. EST . In addition, the FHLBank requires that all advance, securities, MPP activity and deposit program transaction requests, as well as outgoing wire transfer requests, be made prior to 2:00 p.m. EST on December 23 and 30. New Neighbors Hurricane Assistance Program The New Neighbors program was created by the FHLBank to provide housing assistance to households displaced by the 2005 hurricanes. Member institutions and their partner sponsors can obtain grants of up to $20,000 per rental or owner-occupied unit. The next deadline for rental applications will be announced in January, 2006. The New Neighbors Homeownership Program is an open window and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, click here . CMA/Var 1 day 4.41% 1 month LIBOR 4.49% 3 month LIBOR 4.61% Reg Fixed 7.00 yrs 5.06% MMA 10 yrs 5.64% MMA 15 yrs 5.81% SPMMA 10-5% CPR 5.27% SPMMA 10-15% CPR 5.23% SPMMA 15-10% CPR 5.28% Rates Posted 12/29/2005 2:16:59 PM List of advance rates investor relations mark your calendar FHLBank 2006 Dates • holiday schedule • regional stockholder meetings • housing workshops • housing deadlines

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