Home Equity

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

Property Search

Pottawattamie County Assessor Pottawattamie County Assessor Steve Palm Governed By the Pottawattamie County Conference Board City Mayors County Supervisors AVOCA Marvin Piittmann CARTER LAKE Emil L. Hausner CARSON Lyndon K. Taylor COUNCIL BLUFFS Tom Hanafan CRESCENT Taurino Delgado HANCOCK Wayne Bivens MACEDONIA James Braden MCCLELLAND Emmett Dofner, Jr. MINDEN Richard Armstrong NEOLA Donald E. Fischer OAKLAND Gayle Perkins TREYNOR Charles Killion UNDERWOOD Craig A. Zenor WALNUT Elwyn Ferry Find Your Property Data (how to) Owner: Last name First name Address: Street Town Parcel#: Map No warranty, express or implied, is provided for the data herein or its use. How to always reach our web page. Find Residential Sales Find Commercial/Industrial DOVs Board of Review Levy Computation Iowa State Association of Assessors Pottawattamie County Assessor's Office 227 South 6th Street Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501 Phone: (712) 328-5617 On Line Since September 1997 What are the Assessor's Duties? Misconceptions About the Assessor's Work Information About the Assessor What is Market Value? How the Assessor Estimates Market Value Why Value Changes Tax Levies and Assessed Values Exemptions and Credits Dates to Remember Things to Remember (Tax Example) Information About Property Taxation -- Melvyn Houser Delbert E. King Loren Knauss Lynn D. Leaders Betty J. Moats School Districts A-H-S-T COMMUNITY John Pattee COUNCIL BLUFFS Mark McGee GRISWOLD CSD Terry Whiley LEWIS CENTRAL Don Christensen MISSOURI VALLEY No Return RIVERSIDE Brad Cleaveland TREYNOR Doug Klahn TRI-CENTER James Fischer UNDERWOOD Julie Hanbury WALNUT Ellen Holtz

Denver Real Estate Site

Denver real estate; financial glossary Financial terms glossary Common Mistakes to Avoid Home buying mistakes can be avoided, you need to know what some of them are. Getting a Loan Follow these steps prior to applying for your home loan. The Mortgage Loan Application A few minutes of preparation can save you hours of hassle, here's the list of what you will need. Interest Rates Lock in your rate with confidence, after you have read these facts. Loan Approval What constitutes as loan approval in Denver? Earnest Money Why is it necessary to pay earnest money before I buy the house? Closing Costs Home buying costs vary by region, here are sample costs for Denver. Down payment for a mortgage Learn about the various allowable sources to obtain your down payment. What is PMI? PMI, do you really need it? FICO Scores FICO scoring is a standard, you need to understand the basics to protect your credit! The steps to getting a VA Loan The steps to getting a VA loan, do you need one? What does it take to get one? Reverse Mortgages Reverse Mortgages have many benefits for older home owners. search Denver Real Estate Site Glossary of Financial Terms Amortization - The gradual reduction of debt by means of periodic payments sufficient to pay principal and interest and thereby liquidate the debt. ARM - Adjustable Rate Mortgage. A loan where the interest rate can change according to the index, caps, and margin. Appraisal - An unbiased, professional estimate of a property's value based on style, appearance, quality of construction, improvements, usefulness, and the comparable value of nearby properties. Balloon Mortgage - A short term loan, usually 5 to 7 years, that features a fixed interest rate, and a final large balloon payment for balance of the mortgage. Borrower - A person who receives funds in the form of a loan with the obligation of repaying the loan in full with interest, if applicable. Broker - One who, for a commission or fee, brings parties together and assists in negotiating contracts between them. In real estate transactions, the broker usually brings together the buyer and the seller. Caps - The maximum or minimum amount by which the interest rate on an adjustable rate mortgage can change over each adjustment and over its life. For example a 2/6 cap means that the ARM cannot adjust more than 2% up or down each adjustment, or 6% from the start rate during its life. Chattel - Personal property. Closing - The final settlement of the transfer of property. Involves the buyer's signing the mortgage note and an exchange of title. Closing Agent - Assures that all documentation related to the sale of a house has been completed properly, including the title search and title insurance. The closing agent explains all closing documents to the buyer and the seller, obtains their signatures where necessary, and records the documents. Closing Costs - Fees and other charges paid by the buyer and seller at closing. Closing Statement - A financial disclosure giving an account of all funds received and expected at the closing, including the escrow deposits for taxes, hazard insurance, and mortgage insurance. Co-Borrower - The person who is sharing the mortgage responsibility with the borrower. Contingency - A clause within an Offer to Purchase or within the Contract For Sale that requires a certain condition be met before proceeding t closing. Contract - An agreement between two or more parties to do or not to do a particular thing. Contract for Sale - AKA: Conditional Sales Contract - A sales contract whereby the borrower has possession of the property, but seller retains ownership of the property until the buyer has fulfilled the obligations put forth in the contract. Conventional Mortgage - A Mortgage not insured by the government, such as FHA or VA. Counter Offer - The offer made by one party (buyer or seller) in response to an offer presented by the other. Credit Report - A report to a prospective lender on the credit standing of a prospective borrower, used to help determine credit worthiness. Debt-To-Income Ratio - Long-term debt expense as a percentage of monthly income. Deed - The instrument that transfers title from the seller to the buyer. Down Payment - The buyer's payment to the seller at closing for a percentage of the purchase price required by the buyer's mortgage loan. Earnest Money - Money paid by the buyer to the seller at the time the Offer to Purchase is presented. Generally, earnest money is applied to the purchase price. Equity - The home owner's interest in a property. It is different between fair market value and the current amount the owner owes on the property. Fair Market Value - The price at which a property is transferred between a willing buyer and a willing seller, each of whom has a reasonable knowledge of all pertinent facts and neither being under any compulsion to buy or sell. FHA - Federal Housing Administration - A division of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Its main activity is the insuring of residential mortgage loans made by private lender. FHLMC - Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation - A private corporation created by Congress to support the secondary mortgage market. It sells participation certificates secured by pools of conventional mortgage loans, their principal and interest guaranteed by the federal government through FHLMC. Popularly known as Freddie Mac. First Mortgage - A mortgage that is a first lien on the property pledged as security. FNMA - Federal National Mortgage Association - A private corporation created by Congress to support the secondary mortgage market. FNMA sells mortgage - backed securities backed by pools of conventional loans. Payment of principal and interest on these securities is backed by the US Government. Popularly known as Fannie Mae. Gross Monthly Income - The amount of consistent and stable income that an individual receives each month. averaged over a period of time. This amount includes overtime pay, bonuses, commissions, and income from dividends and interest, provided that the individual can show a consistent history of receiving such income. Hazard Insurance - A contract whereby, for an agreed premium, one party undertakes to compensate the other for loss on a specific subject by specified hazards, such as acts of God or war. Homeowners Association - An organization of homeowners residing within a particular development whose major purpose is to maintain and provide community facilities and services for the common enjoyment of the residents. Housing Expense Ratio - A home owner's percentage of their monthly income. Index - A published financial benchmark used to help determine the interest rate for an adjustable rate mortgage on its adjustment. The margin is added to it. Interest - Money paid for the use of money - that is, money paid for a loan. Loan-To-Value Ratio - The relationship between the amount of a home loan and the total value of the property. For example if you receive a loan of $95,000 on ah home that costs $100,000, the loan-to-value ratio is 95%. Margin - The amount added to the index to help determine the new interest rate of an adjustable rate mortgage. Mortgage Insurance - A policy that allows mortgage lenders to recover part of their financial losses if a borrower fails to fully re-pay a loan. Mortgage insurance makes it possible to buy a home with as little as 5% down. Offer To Purchase - A legally-binding, written contract that declares how much a buyer will pay for a house, provided certain condition are met. Origination Fee - Similar to a point, it is a fee paid to lenders for originating the mortgage. PITI - Principle, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance - the four main parts of a monthly mortgage payment. Planned Unit Development -(PUD) - A subdivision having lots or areas owned in common and reserved for the use of some or all of the owners of the separately owned lots. Discount Points - One point equals one percent of the total mortgage amount. This is a fee paid to lenders to get lower rate on the mortgage. Pre-Approval - Having the loan processed, underwritten, and obtaining loan approval before an Offer to Purchase has been accepted by a seller. Pre-Qualify - Preliminary indications on how large a mortgage a buyer can quality for. Qualify - Ability to meet a lender's mortgage approval requirements. Servicer - After a mortgage loan closes, the loan servicer collects the payments, manages escrow accounts, pays taxes and insurance, and manages delinquent payments. Lenders may often sell or "release" servicing to another business, which means that a home buyer will not necessarily send house payments to the original lender. Title - The right of ownership and possession of a property. Title Insurance - A policy that protects a buyer against errors or omissions or defects in the title of the property. Veterans Administration - (VA)An independent agency of the federal government created in 1930. The VA home loan guaranty program is designed to encourage lenders to offer long-term, low down payment mortgages to eligible veterans by guaranteeing the lender against loss Home Buying Directory Buyer Broker Down Payment How to Qualify for a Mortgage Loan Application Locking in Interest Rate Earnest Money Loan Application Checklist Fico Scores Moving List Moving Pets What is PMI? Finance Glossary Financing Your Home Reverse Mortage Home Buying Process Closing Costs Kristal Kraft , ABR, CIPS, CRS Licensed real estate broker selling Colorado Since 1984 The Berkshire Group Realtors, Inc. 3801 E. Florida Ave, Suite 502, Denver, Colorado U.S.A. 80210 800-319-7738 toll free | 303-589-2022 direct | 720-554-7961 fax E-mail: Kristal Kraft, Realtor 1998-2005, © Reflective Motion Inc. | Privacy Policy | Site Credits | Disclaimer | 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

Las Vegas Real Estate

AOL City Guide: Las Vegas - Real Estate, Homes, Apartments, Realtors, Mortgage Site Map | City's Best Ticket Marketplace | Hot Tickets Casinos | Strip Map | Weather | Getting Around | Maps & Directions | Golf Events | Gambling Guide People | Local Personals | White Pages | Yellow Pages | Autos | Real Estate | News & Headlines | Sports | Jobs | Movies Out of Work? Get ahead of the competition. Find jobs, career advice and more. Summer Love Search photos and find a summer romance. Get lovin' now. Choose property type. - Property Type - Apartments Senior Housing & Care Corporate Housing Enter city name. Select State Ala. Alaska Ariz. Ark. Calif. Colo Conn. Del. D.C. Fla. Ga. Hawaii Idaho Ill. Ind. Iowa Kan. Ky. La. Maine Md. Mass. Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. Neb. Nev N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y. N.C. N.D. Ohio Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D. Tenn. Texas Utah Vt. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo. · Find the Perfect Neighborhood · Best City Neighborhoods · Best Cities for Young People · Local Schools Information Home Values Find out how much your home and nearby properties are worth. Family-Friendly? Discover the best cities for safe schools and affordable housing. New to the Area? Meet area singles like you at CityGuide Local Personals. For Sale By Owner Find FSBO listings or list your own home for sale on RealtyTrac. Check out our featured listings to find great homes near you. Type: Rate: • See rates from area lenders Enter city Enter State State Ala. Alaska Ariz. Ark. Calif. Colo Conn. Del. D.C. Fla. Ga. Hawaii Idaho Ill. Ind. Iowa Kan. Ky. La. Maine Md. Mass. Mich. Minn. Miss. Mo. Mont. Neb. Nev N.H. N.J. N.M. N.Y. N.C. N.D. Ohio Okla. Ore. Pa. R.I. S.C. S.D. Tenn. Texas Utah Vt. Va. Wash. W.Va. Wis. Wyo. Enter State State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennesee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming AOL Keyword: Local Real Estate Bars, Music & Nightlife | Restaurants & Dining Guide | Movies | Tickets People & Personals | Real Estate | Visitor's Guide | Shop & Find | Yellow Pages | Government Guide About Us | Advertise With Us | Help & Feedback | Updated Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Trademarks | Site Map AOL Music | Moviefone | AOL Games | AOL TV | Black Voices | Shopping AOL CityGuide has a finger on the pulse of this city, and cities around the nation: from New York restaurants to Las Vegas entertainment, Chicago real estate, Washington hotels, Florida weather, San Francisco theaters, Boston markets and Los Angeles nightlife. You'll find the best local restaurants, hotels, entertainment, movies, concert tickets, events, weather, bars, nightlife, personals and so much more. We're the better way to search your city. © 2005 America Online, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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