land loan products are

Viewpoint Paid Discussion: Mortgages and Investments Wednesday, August 17, 2005 at 1 p.m. ET I'm interested in hosting a Viewpoint paid discussion Viewpoint discussion archive Welcome to Viewpoint, a live discussion forum on washingtonpost.com. This forum offers washingtonpost.com sponsors a platform to discuss issues, new products, company information and other topics. Mortgage Loans and Investment Properties Interested in a mortgage, home equity or refinance loan? Want to learn more about investment properties? Lonnie Cooper, top producer at Absolute Mortgage Co., was online Wednesday, August 17 at 1 p.m. ET to discuss mortgages, the recent interest-only craze or the ins and outs of investment properties. Lonnie Cooper is a senior loan officer at Absolute Mortgage Incorporated in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Lonnie closes approximately $7 million per month in mortgage volume over the past four years. Before coming to Absolute Mortgage, he worked as a loan officer at Independence Mortgage Group and was made partner. Lonnie also owns several rental properties and can provide suggestions and solutions for being a landlord. Lonnie is a graduate of Penn State University. The transcript follows. _______________________ washingtonpost.com: Welcome to Viewpoint. Our guest today is Lonnie Cooper with Absolute Mortgage Co. to answer your questions about loans, mortgages and investment properties. Let's get started! Lonnie Cooper: Lets do it. _______________________ Oaks, Pa.: How do you close so many loans each month? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Oaks, I close approximately 35-40 mortgages each month. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: Hi Lonnie, Thanks for taking my question. My husband and I have been in our house for about a year. We recently received a notice from our mortgage company that basically said our escrow amounts hadn't actually covered everything that the escrow pays for (taxes and insurance). So, we had a shortfall, and we should send in a large chunk of money so our mortgage wouldn't increase by $150 a month beginning in October. Okay. So, even if we do send in the large amount, our mortgage is still going to increase by about $70 because of our increased county taxes. Now, I'm a newbie at this, but is this normal? Does this happen to other people, etc.? Does everyone's mortgage increase when their county taxes increase? We have a 30-year fixed mortgage by the way. I'm sure I sound like a complete idiot, but any insight you could share would be great, since in the past we have had ZERO response from our mortgage company when we've had questions. Lonnie Cooper: I'm sorry to hear that you are getting zero response from them. Taxes often go up and unfortunately the lender has to re-structure your escrow account accordingly. You certainly don't sound like an idiot. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: I keep on hearing that interest only loans are a bad choice and that people are using them to afford homes they could not with a traditional 30. What do you think? Lonnie Cooper: Interest only loans are very popular right now. Unfortunately, many people are taking them for the wrong reason. If used properly by the right person, an interest only loan can make sense. In the current housing market, homes are becoming less and less affordable and an interest only loan is the only way that many people can qualify for the loan. My personal opinion is that if you can't make at least the amortizing arm payment (meaning principal and interest) then you probably are looking at too much home. _______________________ Edgewater, Md.: I am in the process of buying a house that I think we will have for a long time, but I am thinking about starting out with an interest only loan with a 7 year arm and refinancing at some point to a 30 year mortgage. Do you think this is the wrong approach? Lonnie Cooper: I do think it is the wrong approach. Rates are at an historical low. 7 years from now you very well may be looking at not only a large rate spike but also a much bigger payment when the principal is also involved. _______________________ Fairfax, Va.: I have a home equity loan and I am maxed out at $100k. I want to extend that to upgrade my house. Do I have to totally apply for a new loan or can I just ask the bank to extend the line of credit? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Fairfax, Often the lender that you have with the existing home equity loan will allow you to extend it. _______________________ Arlington, Va.: What is the best loan product for new construction that will not deliver until mid-spring 2006? We would like to lock in our rate asap but do not know what is the best. Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Arlington, Many builders have special deals with local banks and their own mortgage companies. They offer long term locks for your situation with a variety of options. Regarding the product, my answer would be the same for you even if you were closing in 30 days- Take an arm if you know that this isn't your 'long-term' home or go with a fixed if it is. _______________________ Camarillo, Calif.: What is your opinion on mortgages for retired people? Your opinion on paying cash for property or financing it? Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Camarillo, I often get asked by people in the 70's and 80's whether or not they can apply for a 30 yr mortgage. Even though lenders can discriminate for income, credit, employment etc, they can't discriminate for age. So, that being said, if you need the money take it. Mortgage money is the cheapest out there. There are reverse mortgages out there as well for retirees. They often make sense as well. "Cash is king" as they say- but if you have it and it helps you sleep at night paying for your home outright is a wonderful feeling. (Or so I've heard) _______________________ Rockville, Md.: Hi Lonnie, I am a consultant and have a 2-3 year assignment that will keep me in Baltimore during the work week. I currently own a home in Rockville and have a roommate. Recently, I have been thinking about buying a place in Baltimore and also getting a roommate there to help pay for the mortgage. What are the implications of borrowing equity from my current home to buy the new home? What are the tax implications of actually residing in both homes? -Sandra Lonnie Cooper: Hello Sandra, I try not to give out too much info on tax advice as it often varies from state to state. I believe that the other home needs to be 50 miles from your primary residence to qualify as a 2nd home. If its not, it would be viewed as a rental property- ie higher rate etc. There are definitely deductions available for rental properties - consult your CPA. _______________________ Fairfax, Va.: My primary loan is for $300,000 and is a 30-year. I am looking at getting a vacation property. What can I do to get the best rate on my second property? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Fairfax, If its a true second home aka vacation property, the rate will be identical. If there is plenty of equity in your current home you can take out a line of credit, but they are variable and prime seems to be going no where but up. Our rates are available at www.absolutemortgageco.com and my extension is 104 if you'd like to talk later. _______________________ Goshen, Ind.: Could you please elaborate on what the pros and cons of interest only loans and what is negative amortization? Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Goshen, I was cut short on my response previously. I'd like to apologize to the submitter of that question. Some quick pros are: 1- They create a significant amount of cash flow 2- They enable you to qualify for more 'house' Cash flow enables the owner to take that difference and invest it into the stock market or pay down other non deductable debts. Cash flow for a real estate investor allows for immediate positive income. Qualifying for more house enables for example a young Doctor get into a larger home knowing that his income will be going up in the near future. _______________________ Washington, D.C.: Is this a good time to look for investment property, even though the market is about to bust? Lonnie Cooper: Investment properties are always available, but because of the national real estate buying craze the 'deals' are much harder to find. Like anything else in life, its a matter of hard work and who you know- meaning get a great realtor and an even better mortgage guy. (Okay so I'm a little biased on this one) Regarding the market bursting- many top analysts feel its going to slow down but not necessarily bust. If your question is would you be buying at the top of the market right now, I'd have to say probably. _______________________ San Diego, Calif.: What is a free float down? Lonnie Cooper: Hello San Diego, A free float down is a product that Absolute Mortgage (the company that I work for) offers along with a few others. Basically its a s simple as "if the rates go lower while you are locked in, you get the lower rate" Its a product that brings a lot of people to us and when the rates go down, people love benefitting from it. It basically makes locking in a win-win _______________________ Falls Church, Va.: Does Absolute Mortgage offer long-term interest only loans and are these available on investment properties? Thank you. Lonnie Cooper: Yes, we offers long term interest only loans. These come in quite a variety. They can be fixed/adjustables that are fixed for the first 10 years or 30 years fixed that are interest only for the first 20 years. There are some that are interest only for all 30 as well. The rates obviously vary on all of these. Yes, we have I/O loans for invest. properties as well. _______________________ Bethesda, Md.: I was looking to buy a plot of land for a second home sometime down the road. What type of land loan products are available and do you offer such a mortgage? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Bethesda, There are many land loan products out there. The majority of them are not 30 year fixed loans, but realistically if you are building on the land in the future you wouldn't want one anyway. Local banks are often the best for this. We don't offer them. _______________________ Reston, VA: Is there a hard-fast rule about refinancing? I thought there used to be a rule that if rates .5 point below your rate you would refinance. Is that still a good rule? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Reston, Thats a great question. The old 'rule of thumb' was that the rate had to be 2% lower. That is certainly no longer the case. We offer what is called a 'True No Cost" mortgage where you can refinance with no costs at all. The costs are not rolled into your principal balance- we pay them. As an example- if you have a 30 yr fixed today at 6.0% and you owe 200k then at todays rate of 5.5% it probably wouldn't make sense to refinance with a traditional closing cost loan. However with a 'True No Cost' loan at say 5.875% you'll save thousands over the life of the loan for simply signing your name. _______________________ Yardley, Pa.: Hello Lonnie, I recently purchased a new home and would like to refinance the 2nd loan for Home Improvements. How long would I have to wait in order to accomplish this? The home was purchased for $279k, but with the right repairs and can be valued at $350k. Christian Lonnie Cooper: Hello Christian, Most 2nd mortgage lenders have at least a 6 month "seasoning" rule for 2nd mortgages in that they won't let you take out a new 2nd based on your new/higher value. We have some products with no seasoning that would allow you to accomplish what you are looking for. Yardley is fairly close to West Chester, Pa. feel free to stop in. _______________________ Front Royal, Va: I have a rather high fixed rate mortgage currently and I am looking to refinance. I have one negative on my credit report which is probably a few months away from coming off which would greatly increase my credit scores. Would you recommend waiting until my credit is clean or refinancing now to take advantage of these great rates. My average score is 674 but should be in the mid 700's. Thanks. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Front Royal, Great question. You guys are full of the. With a 674, I'd recommend giving the refinance a shot now. With the right amount of equity in the property and assets in reserve you very may still be approved. _______________________ Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.: Does Absolute Mortgage offer loans in other states and what is involved to apply as far as upfront fees (does this vary state to state or based on the loan amount or credit scores)? Thanks Lonnie. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Ponte Vedra, (That is a beautiful part of Fla if I may say so myself) We are licensed in a number of states that are listed at www.absolutemortgageco.com. The owner doesn't believe in charging up front fees- its a much cleaner way of doing business. _______________________ Wilmington, Del.: I currently have quite a bit of equity in my home (primary residence) and was looking to do quite a bit of renovations to the property - which would increase the value. Would you recommend to refinance my existing mortgage for cash out or get a Home Equity Loan or Line. I currently have a 30-year Fixed at around 6% and plan on living in the home for quite some time. Thank you very much. Lonnie Cooper: Hello Wilmington, See my response above for a "True No Cost" loan. It would work great for you. The home equity lines are very popular, but most are variable and again- prime seems to be consistently going up. _______________________ Cherry Hill, N.J.: What is involved with a No Doc or stated income loan? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Cherry HIll, The question is what is not involved- We have a "True No Doc" loan in which we don't even ask if you are employed. We don't need any bank statements etc. Its just a credit score and a pulse. _______________________ Newark, Del.: Is there any tried and true rule to figure out if a home improvement project is worth doing in order to add value to your home (adding garage or addition, finishing a basement., etc.? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Newark, I don't know if there is such a rule. If you ask a contractor you may get a different answer though. In speaking with property appraisers over the years, a sure fire return is adding square footage. (As long as you don't over-improve for you neighborhood) Kitchens and bathrooms also provide the highest return for improvement projects. _______________________ Clinton, Md: If you sell a home (designated investment prop) less than 2 years after settlement, do you have to put the proceed into another investment property otherwise pay the taxes? Lonnie Cooper: Hello Clinton, This one is probably best answered by a cpa. My unoffical opinion is as follows: A 1031 tax deferred exchange can be done regardless of how long you've owned the home. If you keep the property for at least 12 months then you'll pay long term capital gains vs. short term. _______________________ washingtonpost.com: Our hour is up. Thank you for taking all of our questions, Lonnie. Lonnie Cooper: You are very welcome. Its been a pleasure. I hope to hear from you all again. Lonnie _______________________ RELATED LINKS absolutemortgageco.com Mortgage Rates Mortgage Calculator Affordability Qualification Payment Tables --

Home Equity Refinance Purchase

Capital One: Credit Cards, Auto Finance, Loans, and Savings Accounts Credit Cards Auto Loans Savings Home Loans Healthcare Finance Personal Loans Insurance Small Business Credit Cards Rewards Account Auto Savings Line of Credit Contact Us Help Site Map Credit Cards Auto Loans Savings Home Loans Healthcare Finance Personal Loans Insurance Small Business Credit Cards No Hassle Miles Cards Other Rewards Products Auto Savings Line of Credit New? Register here Login Requirements • Beware of fraudulent e-mails • Capital One Bowl and Mascot Challenge Credit Cards Mail Offers Personal Small Business Auto Loans and Insurance New/Used Refinance Insurance Savings High Yield Savings CDs Money Markets Home Loans Home Equity Refinance Purchase Small Business Credit Cards Loans Line of Credit Other Loans Personal Loans Healthcare Finance Auto Loans Blank Check ® auto loans Rates as low as 5.39% No money down Learn More Auto Loans as low as 5.39% APR 30-36 Mo What’s my mortgage payment? Loan Amount: $ Interest Rate: % Loan Term: 30 20 15 Years Other Calculators About Capital One | Investors | Press | Careers | Education | Capital One does not provide, endorse, nor guarantee and is not liable for third party products, services, educational tools, or other information available through this site. Read additional disclosures . Site Map | Privacy | Security | Terms and Conditions Capital One Bank, Capital One, F.S.B., members FDIC. ©2005 Capital One Services, Inc. Capital One is a federally registered service mark. All rights reserved. Blank Check ® is a registered trademark of Capital One Services, Inc. Equal Housing Lender Credit Cards | Auto Loans | Savings | Home Loans | Insurance | Healthcare Finance | Personal Loans | Small Business

Property Search

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Denver Real Estate Site

Denver real estate; site map Relocation buyers need extra help, learning about the area, schools, drive times and finding the best neighborhood to suit your lifestyle isn't easy. I can assist you with a relocation package tailored to your needs. [ Click Here for More ] Personalize your search and have results delivered to your inbox daily. This HomeFinder service is the most popular of all. [ Click Here for More ] Select featured homes offering a virtual tour, so you can enjoy a tour from the comforts of your home anytime, day or night. [ Click Here for More ] only search Denver Real Estate Site Denver Real Estate Site Map ~2 ~3 ~4 Colorado Home Buying Process A Step-by-step guide; the process of buying a home The home buying process outlined, how to purchase a colorado home from finance to closing. Denver real estate; How to Qualify for a Mortgage Qualify for a mortgage easily, just understand the process and what you will need to bring for the lender. Closing costs in Colorado, Denver real estate; relocation info- An explanation of Closing costs in Colorado as offered by a Denver real estate agent Your Colorado home buying questions answered - Denver FAQ's Home buying questions answered for Colorado home buyers as offered by a Denver metro agent. Common Mistakes to avoid when searching for a Denver home Learn about mistakes to avoid for home buyers contemplating a house purchase in Colorado Denver real estate; earnest money Earnest money and other up front costs when buying a home FICO scores explained Learn about FICO scores and how they effect your credit rating Denver real estate; financial glossary Financial terms explained regarding Denver real estate home purchase Denver real estate; financing your home Denver real estate: finacing your home, various mortgages explained Denver real estate; locking in your interest rate The process of buying a home, when to lock your loan? Standard loan application - take a peek and know what to expect... Be prepared fill out this home loan application for your Colorado mortgage loan. Denver real estate; when to get loan approval Denver real estate: getting a mortgage loan approved Links to Denver Metro Employers - get a job buy a house! Mom said, Get a job so you can buy a house...start here! Getting a VA loan Veterans should take advantage of the benefits of VA loans, how to get one PMI - Private mortgage insurance. Do I need it? Why? PMI, yes you may need it, but there are alternatives... Things to do in Colorado Denver amenities: Colorado ski areas Colorado ski areas are conveniently close to Denver A Denver metro resident's favorite places A random collection of favorite places and things to do in and around Denver, Colorado. Recreation in Colorado - outdoor things to do in and around Denver A list and links of things to do in Colorado Denver metro shopping A partial list of the great shopping Denver has to offer Denver sports Spectator sports in Denver Denver; things to do with kids Denver activities to do with the kids, company and maybe just for yourself! Denver real estate; site map Denver real estate: relocation, listings with photos e-mailed to you. relocation package offered to home buyers Request Denver relocation info - real estate services Request your personal Denver relocation package, offered by a LOCAL Denver metro broker, specializing in Buyer Relocation Get a Denver relocation package- from a Colorado realtor A LOCAL Buyer Broker offers Denver real estate information; request a relocation package (home buyers only please!) [ 1 ][2][ 3 ][ 4 ] Kristal Kraft , ABR, CIPS, CRS Licensed real estate broker selling Colorado Since 1984 The Berkshire Group - Metro Brokers 1485 S. Colorado Blvd. #300, Denver, CO. U.S.A. 800-319-7738 toll free | 303-589-2022 direct | 303-753-9965 fax Kristal@TheBerkshireGroup.net 1998-2005, Reflective Motion Inc. | Agents Only | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer | Site Credits | Site Map ~2 ~3 ~4 Denver Relocation | Buy a Home In Denver | Sell a Home in Denver | Denver Map | Denver Neighborhood Profiles | Denver Sales Statistics | International Real Estate | A Bio | My Favorite Places | Real Estate Resources Denver Loft Homes | The Berkshire Group | Buy and Sell Denver | We Sell Denver | Denver Colorado Real Estate | Denver Blog

home equity credit lines

Home Equity Credit Lines Home Equity Credit Lines U sing a credit line to borrow against the equity in your home has become a popular source of consumer credit. And lenders are offering these home equity credit lines in a variety of ways. You will find most loans come with variable interest rates, some come with attractive low introductory rates, and a few come with fixed rates. You also may find most loans have large one-time upfront fees, others have closing costs, and some have continuing costs, such as annual fees. You can find loans with large balloon payments at the end of the loan, and others with no balloons but with higher monthly payments. No one loan is right for every homeowner. The challenge, then, is to contact different lenders, compare options, and select the home equity credit line best tailored to your needs. Be sure to review the home equity contract carefully before you sign it. Do not hesitate to ask questions about the terms and conditions of your financing. To help you do this, you may want to consider the following questions and to use the checklist at the end of this brochure. (We apologize that the checklist is not available on-line. To obtain a copy of the checklist, please request a free copy of the brochure by contacting: Public Reference, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, D.C. 20580; (202) 326-2222. TDD call (202) 326-2502.) Is a home equity credit line for you? If you need to borrow money, home equity lines may be one useful source of credit. Initially at least, they may provide you with large amounts of cash at relatively low interest rates. And they may provide you with certain tax advantages unavailable with other kinds of loans. (Check with your tax adviser for details.) At the same time, home equity lines of credit require you to use your home as collateral for the loan. This may put your home at risk if you are late or cannot make your monthly payments. Those loans with a large final (balloon) payment may lead you to borrow more money to pay off this debt, or they may put your home in jeopardy if you cannot qualify for refinancing. And, if you sell your home, most plans require you to pay off your credit line at that time. In addition, because home equity loans give you relatively easy access to cash, you might find you borrow money more freely. Remember too, there are other ways to borrow money from a lending institution. For example, you may want to explore second mortgage installment loans. Although these plans also place an additional mortgage on your home, second mortgage money usually is loaned in a lump sum, rather than in a series of advances made available by writing checks on an account. Also, second mortgages usually have fixed interest rates and fixed payment amounts. You also may want to explore borrowing from credit lines that do not use your home as collateral. These are available with your credit cards or with unsecured credit lines that let you write checks as you need the money. In addition, you may want to ask about loans for specific items, such as cars or tuition. How much money can you borrow on a home equity credit line? Depending on your creditworthiness (your income, credit rating, etc.) and the amount of your outstanding debt, home equity lenders may let you borrow up to 85% of the appraised value of your home minus the amount you still owe on your first mortgage. Ask the lender about the length of the home equity loan, whether there is a minimum withdrawal requirement when you open your account, and whether there are minimum or maximum withdrawal requirements after your account is opened. Inquire how you gain access to your credit line -- with checks, credit cards, or both. Also, find out if your home equity plan sets a fixed time -- a draw period -- when you can make withdrawals from your account. Once the draw period expires, you may be able to renew your credit line. If you cannot, you will not be permitted to borrow additional funds. Also, in some plans, you may have to pay your full outstanding balance. In others, you may be able to repay the balance over a fixed time. What is the interest rate on the home equity loan? Interest rates for loans differ, so it pays to check with several lenders for the lowest rate. Compare the annual percentage rate (APR), which indicates the cost of credit on a yearly basis. Be aware that the advertised APR for home equity credit lines is based on interest alone. For a true comparison of credit costs, compare other charges, such as points and closing costs, which will add to the cost of your home equity loan. This is especially important if you are comparing a home equity credit line with a traditional installment (or second) mortgage, where the APR includes the total credit costs for the loan. In addition, ask about the type of interest rates available for the home equity plan. Most home equity credit lines have variable interest rates. These variable rates may offer lower monthly payments at first, but during the rest of the repayment period the payments may change and may be higher. Fixed interest rates, if available, may be slightly higher initially than variable rates, but fixed rates offer stable monthly payments over the life of the credit line. If you are considering a variable rate, check and compare the terms. Check the periodic cap, which is the limit on interest rate changes at one time. Also, check the lifetime cap, which is the limit on interest rate changes throughout the loan term. Ask the lender which index is used and how much and how often it can change. An index (such as the prime rate) is used by lenders to determine how much to raise or lower interest rates. Also, check the margin, which is an amount added to the index that determines the interest you are charged. In addition, inquire whether you can convert your variable rate loan to a fixed rate at some future time. Sometimes, lenders offer a temporarily discounted interest rate -- a rate that is unusually low and lasts only for an introductory period, such as six months. During this time, your monthly payments are lower too. After the introductory period ends, however, your rate (and payments) increase to the true market level (the index plus the margin). So, ask if the rate you are offered is "discounted," and if so, find out how the rate will be determined at the end of the discount period and how much larger your payments could be at that time. What are the upfront closing costs? When you take out a home equity line of credit, you pay for many of the same expenses as when you financed your original mortgage. These include items such as an application fee, title search, appraisal, attorneys' fees, and points (a percentage of the amount you borrow). These expenses can add substantially to the cost of your loan, especially if you ultimately borrow little from your credit line. You may want to negotiate with lenders to see if they will pay for some of these expenses. What are the continuing costs? In addition to upfront closing costs, some lenders require you to pay continuing fees throughout the life of the loan. These may include an annual membership or participation fee, which is due whether or not you use the account, and/or a transaction fee, which is charged each time you borrow money. These fees add to the overall cost of the loan. What are the repayment terms during the loan? As you pay back the loan, your payments may change if your credit line has a variable interest rate, even if you do not borrow more money from your account. Find out how often and how much your payments can change. You also will want to know whether you are paying back both principal and interest, or interest only. Even if you are paying back some principal, ask whether your monthly payments will cover the full amount borrowed or whether you will owe an additional payment of principal at the end of the loan. In addition, you may want to ask about penalties for late payments and under what conditions the lender can consider you in default and demand immediate full payment. What are the repayment terms at the end of the loan? Ask whether you might owe a large payment at the end of your loan term. If so, and you are not sure you will be able to afford the balloon payment, you may want to renegotiate your repayment terms. When you take out the loan, ask about the conditions for renewal of the plan or for refinancing the unpaid balance. Consider asking the lender to agree ahead of time and in writing to refinance any end-of-loan balance or extend your repayment time, if necessary. What safeguards are built into the loan? One of the best protections you have is the Federal Truth in Lending Act, which requires lenders to inform you about the terms and costs of the plan at the time you are given an application. Lenders must disclose the APR and payment terms and must inform you of charges to open or use the account, such as an appraisal, a credit report, or attorneys' fees. Lenders also must tell you about any variable-rate feature and give you a brochure describing the general features of home equity plans. The Truth in Lending Act also protects you from changes in the terms of the account (other than a variable-rate feature) before the plan is opened. If you decide not to enter into the plan because of a change in terms, all fees you paid earlier must be returned to you. Because your home is at risk when you open a home equity credit account, you have three days to cancel the transaction, for any reason. To cancel, you must inform the lender in writing. Following that, your credit line must be cancelled and all fees you have paid must be returned. Once your home equity plan is opened, if you pay as agreed, the lender, in most cases, may not terminate your plan, accelerate payment of your outstanding balance, or change the terms of your account. The lender may halt credit advances on your account during any period in which interest rates exceed the maximum rate cap in your agreement, if your contract permits this practice. 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 June 1992