Home Equity Fraud How

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

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Unbiased property investment tips and advice to maximise profits from property! Maximise profits from property investment - free independent advice! "Hi Alan, am keen to know more on property investment and I have just subscribed to your Newsletter, and want to congratulate you on your informative site together with the contents." Barbara Burton "Hi Alan, You seem to have your head screwed on, and yes I'm in my fourth hour on your EXCELLENT site." Richard Harries, Pembrokeshire Enter your E-mail Address Enter your First Name (optional) Then Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure. I promise to use it only to send you Property Investment Tips. Hi, Property investment is as good an investment as there is, so it still amazes me how little people know about the potential to make money from property, and property investment. There are people sitting on huge amounts of equity who, if they invest this money wisely could be retiring within 2 years!!!! Dont believe me? Thats exactly what I just did, aged 28!! After remortgaging my property, I reinvested that money and last year I made more than 100k after tax, and will make more than that this year. Now I had a good job beforehand, with a gross salary of over 50k, but when you compare that net amount of around 35k with the money I made from property - simply by releasing equity and spending my spare time understanding the vast possibilities in property and investing in some excellent opportunities, I cant believe more people do not do it. I am now in a position where I do not need a 9-5 job anymore . This gives me plenty of time to spend with my family, on the golf course, on holiday, at the football etc etc and I have no boss to report to!!! I believe there are possibilities for anyone out there, whether you are a first time buyer, and not sure where to buy, someone looking for a hands free property investment with guaranteed returns, someone looking to top up their pension, or someone who is willing to give 10 hours a week or so and be in a position to sack the boss in 3-4 years time!! However for anyone to succeed at property investment, they must have some good knowledge - a clear strategy, understand property tax, mortgages for investment properties and importantly understanding what a good property investment deal is and the power of leverage. Now when I first started researching on the internet, I came across some excellent resources and invaluable information - however there are also some who are more interested in charging you a fee than getting you a good deal. That is why I decided to share some of my experiences, and give some of my recommendations and property investment tips. Any of these recommendations I will have personally used, and will have confidence in their knowledge and integrity. I will not accept adverts or endorse any company I am not convinced about. I have now set up a second site - as from March 2005 - with all recommended property investment deals, as and when they arise - this gives me the opportunity to put more details down. Please, if are interested in updates on deals, also sign up on www.property-investment-deals.com for latest deals. I have a newsletter I send out every 2-3 weeks, where I discuss various strategies and property investment tips, and discuss exactly what I have done so far on this Tips site. I will also try to answer any questions, or at least point you in the right direction. I will also analyse deals/courses/mortgage options put forward by some of my contacts. Enter your E-mail Address Enter your First Name (optional) Then Don't worry -- your e-mail address is totally secure. I promise to use it only to send you Property Investment Tips. I will continually update any good sources I find, and I will continue to share my experiences with you. By no means is this list exhaustive and I am sure there are plenty more good sources, although I also know some not so good - email me with any good experiences/sources you have used for any property investment, and I will share this with the subscribers. Have a look down the left hand side, where I have covered what I consider the key factors when investing in property, and look at each of them, investment property mortgage options, property tax, property investment strategies/courses, and property investment deals at home and abroad, to see who I recommend and why. All this advice is free and is solely based on my experience and the contacts I have made - I will not be offended if you do your own thing, but I am completely independent, so I would at least take note of all my efforts over the last few years!! Of course, you should always do your own research, and do please note the disclaimer page. Any questions I will attempt to reply, please email me at alan@property-investment-tips.com. Also make sure you sign up for free newsletter before you forget, this is packed full of good tips and advice, so I've been told! "Alan, I have just read your back issues, and enjoy the way that you write! I am currently an ex-pat living in Ohio, but with an existing and pending property in the UK....look forward to your next issue " Amanda, Ohio "I've signed up for your newsletter today and from what I've seen of your website, it looks very informative, good balanced outlook on what people should do when investing in property." Nihar Dutt, www.propertynetworking.co.uk "I am impressed with the newsletters, very professional Alan. Your comments on Cyprus and Bulgaria are fab, especially for new investors - DD is vital - and even then I still think its risky so recommending agents shall be of great assistance". Alex Angel, Edinburgh "Hi Alan,First of all, thank you ever so much for sharing your experience. Your website is absolutely fantastic!" Patrice Lavallee, Suffolk "ALAN, I read your newsletters with interest and have recently been in discussions with Property Network Spain. Hopefully the outcome will be profitable!" ALEX CARAVELLO, Residential Lettings & Management "Alan, Great newsletter as per usual. My name is Tom Dyer and i got the info about your newsletter from a good friend of mine, who himself had it referred to him via another friend.It just goes to show that good information travels very fast.Great to have the opportunity to get access to the newsletters and some of your philosophy. Keep em' comingAll the very best" Tom Dyer "Hi Alanthanks again for the posts you send, they are a great eye opener - i'm learning a hell of a lot." Shuko mwambazi Alan just wanted to drop you a line, to say thanks!! For the past few months I had been looking to invest some money and saw property as a possible opportunity. However, having never previously bought, due to continued job relocation, my knowledge of this market was somewhat limited. The information and advice provided on property-investment-tips.com has proved invaluable in taking me from a position of knowing nothing - about how mortgages work, where to buy and which investment companies I could trust - through to the purchase of my first property!! I have bought in Cyprus through investincyprus.com, and am delighted with it! Maybe meet you out there in 18 months??!! Thanks again, and have subscribed to your newsletter to keep eye on other opportunites. Have also given details to my work colleague who is also keen to buy. James Thomson, Edinburgh Hi, I found out about your site and was pretty impressed with everything! I am very interested in purchasing ANY property with good growth and rental prospects in the UK. I am living and working in Shanghai..... Look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Robert Gavin Hi Alan, I found your website very informative and helpful. Thank you very much. My husband is British and I am Vietnamese. We have been working abroad as expats. We have some savings and would like to invest in land and property anywhere, in the UK or Vietnam or abroad. We would appreciate very much if you could give us some advice on what and how to do as we feel uncertain. We feel that we have the potential and could do something good with our savings but did not know where and how to start then we found your site. Thank you very much and I look forward to hearing from you, Best regards, Linh Dear Alan, Thank you for the latest edition of your newsletter and links to the superb articles on your excellent website - it is certainly coming along nicely! I am a first-time property investor and recently had the pleasure of meeting you at the Property show at the ExCel centre in Docklands, accompanied by my wife Christine..... above all, if he comes with your recommendation then I'm sure he is someone that can be relied upon. Ironically, I had been meaning to drop you a line for a while to further enquire about your exploits in property renovation, which I have so keenly read in your emails lately. But now your site has blossomed with so much information, I have learnt an awful lot by just scrolling through the wealth of advice available. Looking forward to hearing from you. ..........Many thanks for your prompt reply. It would be great to meet up with you again in the future, Alan - if anything to buy you a pint for your troubles! Thanks again for your support Kind regards, John Marsden Hi AlanI'll attempt to be brief and to the point! I like your website without having met you or had any communication with you - you do seem to come accross someone who is approachable and kind of normal!! Hence I write to you. I am interested in a one to one consultaion session with you and would like to make a reservation for a London meeting sometime after May. Is that possible? I am currently in Sudan undertaking 5 months voluntary work (back in May) and since being here I have had much time to reflect, to consider my next 'project', look at where I'm heading and to set some more goals and achievements for myself. I also have time while I am out here to do some homework and research (which is how I found you!).I have signed up to your e-zine, and have not yet read everything you have to offer on your site, however I wanted to book in with you as soon as possible, Mandy Evill So, have a look at the headings for the specific area you want to find out more on, and start to share some of the potential to be made in the world of property investment!!! Regards Alan Forsyth Why Property? Why property as an investment? Property Investment Strategies to maximise profits Property Investment Strategies - I'll give you some tips and advise on the best places to learn what is best for you! Location, location,l... Location - why it is still as important as ever, do not limit yourself! Buy to Let What to look out for when considering buy to let in UK and abroad Buy to Re-sell or Remortgage Buy to Re-sell, or Property renovation is as popular as ever, you only need to switch on the TV to see! I give my tips when starting out. UK property investment has become very popular over last few years My thoughts/tips on UK property investment Overseas Property Investment Overseas property investment is becoming more and more popular - check out my tips! Spanish property investment Spanish Property Investment is as popular as ever, read my recommendations on best companies to invest with in Spain Cyprus Property Investment Cyprus Property Investment is getting very popular - read my tips on the best company/places for property investment in Cyprus Bulgaria Property Investment Bulgaria property investment - why it is such good value Scotland Property Investment Scotland Property Investment Estonia property Estonia property Property Tax advice Importance of understanding types of property tax when investing in property. Best sources of information Mortgage advice for Investment Property Mortgage Advice for Investment Property, my tips and advice overseas mortgages Recommended overseas mortgages for property investors 1 to 1 Consultancy 1 to 1 Consultancy Recommended Property Investment Courses Property Investment Courses Landlords Insurance Landlords Insurance - my recommendations Rental Property Investment Software Recommended Rental Property Investment Software Articles Articles written and published by Alan Forsyth Rich Dad, Poor Dad Rich dad poor dad Books Best value books for property investment, financial freedom Resources Quick summary of best property resources on the internet when looking to invest in property. Contact Me Contact me for any further advice on products advertised here, or any further property questions Exchange URLs Exchange URLs Disclaimer Disclaimer other resources general other resources general About us About us

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California Department of Veterans Affairs - CalVet Loans California Home CDVA Home About us Frequently Asked Questions CalVet Home Loans Homes for Sale Veterans Homes Veterans Services Women Veterans Memorials & Cemeteries Vets License Plates California Veterans Board News, Events and Announcements Employment Opportunities HIPAA at CDVA Links to Other Sites Contact Us Site Map CalVet Loans Now is a Great Time to use a CalVet Loan! If you're ready to buy a home, CalVet is here to meet your home financing needs! You will find manyfeatures and benefits with a CalVet loan that will save you money and help protect your investmentfor your family. We offer below market interest rates with low or no down payment that increase your purchasing powerand keep your payment down. We have expanded eligibility so that nearly any veteran wanting to buya home in California is eligible. We currently have funds for all qualified wartime era veterans,regardless of when they served in the military. We also have funds available for peacetime veteranswho qualify as first-time home buyers or purchase homes in certain target areas. Your may receive free prequalification for a CalVet loan by clicking on the Apply Online button on thispage, or by downloading and completing our prequalification form and sending it to your local CalVet office . -- --Apply Online Check your eligibility for CalVet Home Loans, see what loan amount you may qualify for, orfill out and submit a loan application on the property you have selected. My CA This Site More information on CalVet Loans: CalVet Loans Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Current CalVet Interest Rates For Prospective Buyers For Current Contract Holders For Real Estate Professionals For Everyone: CalVet Homes for Sale Contact one of the CalVet Offices CalVet Home Loans Strategic Business Plan 2004-09 FY Help Preserve the CalVet Program. Information about HR 2952 Call or write us: California Department of Veterans Affairs Division of Farm and Home Purchases P.O.Box 942895 Sacramento, CA 94295-0001 (800) 952-LOAN Back to Top of Page © 2003 State of California. Conditions of Use Privacy Policy

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Real Estate Investing and Information Sites THE SOURCE FOR INFORMATION ON FORECLOSURE OUR MOST POPULAR PAGES Bank Foreclosures - REO Pre-Foreclosure Homes Foreclosure Help Foreclosures Discussion Real Estate Investing Sites FORECLOSURE ARTICLES Ready to Invest? Foreclosure Investing 101 Foreclosure Investing 111 Buying at Trustee's Sale Finding Foreclosures Determining Property Value Real Estate Foreclosures FORECLOSURE RESOURCES CA Foreclosure Time-Line Investment Tools Sources for Comps CA County Resources Real Estate Definitions INFORMATION & LINKS Foreclosure Industry Links Avoiding Foreclosure Scams Equity Buyout Scams Trustees and Posting Co.'s "How To" Information Curb Appeal Importance HOME MAIL Real Estate Investing and Information The following sites provide a wide variety of articles and information about property, mortgage notes and various legal aspects related to the purchase of real property. Many sites will have articles specific to their area of expertise, some will have discussion boards where you can ask questions and receive specific answers. Innovest Resource Management Training for the purchase of foreclosure property. Includes Foreclosure Forum discussion board . Foreclosure Focus - New Jersey A discussion board specific to New Jersey foreclosure International Real Estate Digest The World's Foremost On-line Real Estate Magazine National Mortgage Note & Contract Buyer We pay premium prices for 1st lien position real notes and contracts, nationwide. All property types. We pay all closing costs and related fees. Free online or phone-in quotes. LegalWiz.com Bill Bronchick's site, good information and articles. Real Estate ABC The ABC's of Real Estate and Finance. Solid Information. Real Estate Center Texas A&M's Site, be sure to check their publications link. Real Estate Link.net Information and tools. Includes Discussion Boards . The Real Estate Library Foreclosure based, information and articles. Includes Foreclosure Talk discussion board. The Paper Game All about notes and investing. Lots of articles. Realtor.com The Official Internet Site of the National Association of REALTORS Yahoo! Their Real Estate section. Some good tools available. The Carlton Sheets Alternative An inexpensive guide to property purchase and resale Simply Foreclosures A free beginning guide to foreclosure investing Remove your mortgage PMI & Save $$$ RE/MAX College Park Realty Providing Services to Los Angeles & Orange County. 4 Convenient Locations to serve you. Southern California Appraisal Services Real Estate Appraisal If you have found other quality sites providing interesting information and articles that you feel should be included on this page, please forward the site address to relinks@all-foreclosure.com Sites are first considered for the quality of the information available on the site, then by how appropriate the information is for a wide audience. Sites specific to a small community, even if they have very good information on the community probably won't be included due to the limited applicability of the information. Statewide type information sites are much more likely to be appropriate for a wide audience, specifically information for Texas, California, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio and other high population states. All sites are manually reviewed, but will not necessarily be included.