Real Estate Investment Vacation
The Real Estate Library - An educational site offering, articles, tips andinformational reports for realtors, buyers and sellers! REAL ESTATE - FIND IT HERE! The Real Estate Library contains essential resources for buyers, sellers, home owners, real estate professionals, and anyone investing or seeking to connect with the world of real estate. REAL ESTATE WEB SITE DESIGN Are you a real estate agent with website questions? Ask our expert. Click Here PURE GOLD AWARD It has been said that "Success leaves clues" . Nowhere is that more apparent than on the Internet. Click Here to apply! The Nations MOST ENDORSED Real Estate School Get your CA, TX, VA, or WA Real Estate License from an ACCREDITED & NATIONALLY ENDORSED school. 110% Money Back Promise! Quick & Convenient programs!! VA MORTGAGE CENTER Need assistance getting through the Loan process? Need some direction on where to find assistance? Apply for a VA Loan AMERICA'S FAVORITE ONLINE REAL ESTATE SCHOOL Get your Real Estate License in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, Alabama, Missouri, Washington, Iowa or Kansas. Fast, Easy and Enjoyable. Nationally Approved by ARELLO (The Association of Real Estate Law Officials). Click Here to Go to Real Estate School BRIO REALTY: REAL ESTATE LISTINGS View photos of over 30,000 MLS listings in California, Washington, Virginia, and Maryland. Foreclosureworld.net Recommended pages: Mortgage Lenders by State Real Estate Agents by State Home Buying & Home Selling Tools Add Your Link Don't forget to bookmark this page! Quick links to popular pages: Commercial Real Estate Lenders Florida Real Estate Agents Utah Real Estate Agents Real Estate Investment Vacation Rentals by State (New!) Index | Advertising Info | Add Your Link | Contact RELibrary.com RELibrary.com Click To Apply For This Award For Your Site
Purchase Property
REALTOR.com: Real estate listings & homes for sale Welcome, Visitor! Sign Up to: Save Searches Save Listings Sign Up Now! Already a member? Sign In Homebuying Tools Find a Lender Find a Mover Market Conditions Neighborhood Tour Real Estate 101 Buyers Sellers For REALTORS® Resource Center News REALTOR.org Search the Web Select a Top Search: Bad Credit Contractors Homeowner's Insurance Debt Consolidation Interior Design Mortgage Rates Loan Types Rates Points 30-yr fixed 5.74% 0.37 15-yr fixed 5.39% 0.28 ARM 3/1, 30Yrs 4.87% 0.26 Updated: 12/29/2005 12:26:48 PM Check Local Rates Search our national directory of mortgage brokers and lenders. Find a Home Over 2.5 million listings for sale! State/Province AB AK AL AR AZ BC CA CO CT DC DE FL GA GU HI IA ID IL IN KS KY LA MA MB MD ME MI MO MN MS MT NC ND NE NH NJ NM NV NY OH OK ON OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX UT VI VT VA WA WI WV WY - OR - Minimum Price $0 $500 $1,000 $1,400 $2,000 $5,000 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $2,000,000 $2,250,000 $2,500,000 $2,750,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 to Maximum Price $1,000 $1,400 $2,000 $5,000 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $45,000 $50,000 $55,000 $60,000 $70,000 $75,000 $100,000 $125,000 $150,000 $175,000 $200,000 $225,000 $250,000 $275,000 $300,000 $325,000 $350,000 $400,000 $450,000 $500,000 $550,000 $600,000 $650,000 $700,000 $750,000 $800,000 $850,000 $900,000 $1,000,000 $1,250,000 $1,500,000 $1,750,000 $2,000,000 $2,250,000 $2,500,000 $2,750,000 $3,000,000 $3,500,000 $4,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 no maximum Beds 1+ Beds 2+ Beds 3+ Beds 4+ Beds 5+ Beds Baths 1+ Baths 1.5+ Baths 2+ Baths 2.5+ Baths 3+ Baths 3.5+ Baths 4+ Baths More Search Options Map Search Hurricane Relief Find or offer immediately available temporary housing to assist Hurricane victims: HurricaneHousing.net Relief.WelcomeWagon.com -- Find a REALTOR State/Province Alabama Alaska Alberta Arizona Arkansas British Columbia California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Manitoba Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming From the National Association of REALTORS ® Join REALTORS® in supporting hurricane victims Why Use a REALTOR® With a GRI? Make the most of every moment with FamilyTime, an interactive DVD celebrating the family. Visit REALTOR® Magazine Online Read current NAR Press Releases For REALTORS ® REALTORS Relief Effort exceeds $5.2 million for Hurricane victims, donate now... Enter the Business Success Zone at REALTOR.org! Find out how REALTOR.com can help you secure more listings, sell homes for more and promote yourself and your brand NEW name for NAR member benefits offeringsthe REALTOR Benefits(sm) Program. Learn about the practical, everyday solutions for your professional and personal life! Reach new levels of success with NAR partner, The Pacific Institute! About the National Association of REALTORS ® Representing Home Owners State & Local Associations Real Estate Specialty Organizations Find an Appraiser Find a Commercial Property International Real Estate Search in popular metros: Atlanta | Austin | Boston | Chicago | Dallas | Denver | Houston | Las Vegas | Long Island | Los Angeles | Memphis | Miami | New York City | Orange County | Palm Beach | Phoenix | Sacramento | San Diego | Seattle Site Map | Corporate News & Info | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Join our staff Terms of Use and PrivacyPolicy . 1995- NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS and Homestore, Inc. All rights reserved. Equal Housing Opportunity REALTOR.com is the official site of the National Association of REALTORS and is operated by Homestore, Inc. REALTOR -- A Registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. Inquiries regarding the Code of Ethics should be directed to the board in which a REALTOR holds membership.
foreclosure property foreclosure real
Foreclosure Listings Information at Business.com Advertiser Center · Help Web News People Jobs Search the Business Internet ® Foreclosure Listings Databases and listings of residential, government and bank-owned foreclosures. Home > Real Estate & Construction > Property Listings > Foreclosure Sub-Categories Bank Owned Reference US States -- -- Featured Listings Foreclosures.com: Real Estate Foreclosures Provides buyers of foreclosures with premium training on foreclosures, current listings of foreclosures, and reference information. www.foreclosures.com RealtyStore: Foreclosure Listings Save 20 - 50% on Foreclosure and HUD real estate. Ideal for investors, bargain hunters and first timers. Free trial membership (Credit Card required). www.realtystore.com ForeclosuresMass: The Investors Choice for MA Foreclosures ForeclosuresMass lists all foreclosed properties in the state of Massachusetts weeks before they're printed in the paper or recorded at the registry. MA Foreclosures | Search By County | MA Stats www.foreclosuresmass.com Sponsored Links Foreclosure Listings Save big on local foreclosed homes. Savings 20-50% below market rates. www.RealtyTrac.com I'm Paying Cash For Homes Any Price, Condition, Or Location Sell Your Home Quickly & Easily www.webuyhomesaz.com Foreclosure Listings Buy Foreclosures from 50% off Search 600,000 listings for only $1 www.Bargain.com/Foreclosures More Featured Listings RealtyTrac: Foreclosed Property Listings Provides foreclosure search engine for all 50 states with daily data updates, tax roll information, and photographs. Free 7-day trial. www.realtytrac.com eBay: Foreclosure Listings Online marketplace for buying and selling foreclosure listings. www.ebay.com Sponsored Links We Help Stop Foreclosure Cash For Any Home in All Conditions No Fees Or Commissions. Just Cash! www.AllHomesAZ.com We Buy Homes Fast We will buy your house directly from you. No Fees AllHousesAZ.com Free Foreclosure Service No Money Down Homes Search Foreclosure Listings Free iForeclosures.com Fresh Bankruptcy Lists Custom lists. Phone #, address, etc Accurate. Daily Updates. High ROI. www.ClickData.com Pre- foreclosure Leads Freshest lists available Az, Ca, Fl, Mi, Nm, Wa www.defaultresearch.com Free Foreclosure Search Save up to 50% on your next home purchase. Start your free trial now www.ForeclosureTimes.com Popular Searches commercial foreclosure corporate foreclosure distressed properties distressed property distressed real estate foeclosure home foeclosure house forclos home forclos house « more more popular searches [x] forclose home forclose house forcloser home forcloser house forclosesure home forclosesure house forcloseur home forcloseur house forcloseure home forcloseure house forclosing home forclosing house forclosue home forclosue house forclosure forclosure home forclosure homes forclosure house forclosure loans Forclosure property listing Forclosure property listings forcloures home forcloures house forclouser home forclouser house forclousure home forclousure house forclusure home forclusure house forcolsure home forcolsure house foreclos home foreclos house foreclose home foreclose house foreclosed foreclosed home foreclosed home for sale foreclosed homes foreclosed houses foreclosed properties foreclosed property forecloser home forecloser house foreclosesure home foreclosesure house forecloseur home forecloseur house forecloseure home forecloseure house foreclosing home foreclosing house foreclosue home foreclosue house foreclosure assistance foreclosure financing foreclosure home foreclosure homes foreclosure house foreclosure list foreclosure listing foreclosure listings foreclosure loans foreclosure opportunities foreclosure opportunity foreclosure properties foreclosure property foreclosure real estate foreclosure sale foreclosure search foreclosures forecloures home forecloures house foreclouser home foreclousure home foreclousure house foreclusure home foreclusure house forecolsure home fourclos home fourclos house fourclose home fourclose house fourcloser home fourcloser house fourclosesure home fourclosesure house fourcloseur home fourcloseur house fourcloseure home fourcloseure house fourclosing home fourclosing house fourclosue home fourclosue house fourclosure home fourclosure house fourcloures home fourcloures house fourclousure home fourclousure house fourclusure home fourclusure house fourcolsure home fourcolsure house government foreclosure home foreclosure home foreclosures homes foreclosed house foreclosure property foreclosures real estate foreclosure real estate foreclosures real estate owned REO reo properties reo property repo home Listings Absolute Foreclosures: National Foreclosure Listings National bank and government foreclosure listings updated daily and real estate auctions. Free seven day trial. Directory | FREE Trial | Register | Search www.absoluteforeclosures.com All Foreclosure Information Foreclosure information & databases. www.all-foreclosure.com American Foreclosures Offers a nationwide database of foreclosure properties, including government, VA, and bank foreclosures. Subscription required. www.americanforeclosures.com Appraisal Network-Forclosures Forclosure listings by state. www.appraisal-network.com Bank Foreclosure Listings Provides foreclosure search engine for all 50 states with a 7-day trial membership. www.foreclosure-bank-listings.com Bates Foreclosure Report Subscription based service providing lists of real estate foreclosures. www.brucebates.com Buyers' Edge Limited- Foreclosure Report Tracks all properities in the process of foreclosure, from pre-foreclosure to foreclosure auction. www.foreclosurereport.com California Homes Online Repossessed homes & single family home listings in the State of California. www.californiahomesonline.com Community Commerce Bank Listings of real estate owned properties. www.communitycommercebank.com County Records Research Stewart title county record search. www.stewarttitle.com eBay: Foreclosure Listings Online marketplace for buying and selling foreclosure listings. www.ebay.com Fannie Mae-Owned Properties Fannie Mae-Owned Properties - Single family homes available for sale. fanniemae.com Fast Cash in Foreclosure: Real Estate Foreclosures Investing Real estate training course provides insider information for buying bank foreclosures and distressed properties from home. Discussion Forum | Bank Foreclosures www.fastcashinrealestateforeclosures.com Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation FDIC property retrieval system. www2.fdic.gov Federal Foreclosure Information Services Nationwide foreclosure listings of bank and government real estate. www.foreclosureinfo.net Federal Real Estate Services Foreclosures listed nationwide. www.federal-services.com Foreclosure Central Nationwide directory of foreclosure listings. www.foreclosurecentral.com Foreclosure Connections.com Contains tax lien, foreclosure, and pre-foreclosure listings in the United States. Listings updated daily. www.foreclosureconnections.com Foreclosure Databank.com Provides an online resource of foreclosure listings, including VA, FHA, HUD, and REO properties listed in all 50 states. Database updated daily. About Us | Foreclosures | Site Map | News www.foreclosuredatabank.com Foreclosure Deals Corp. Provides a database of listings, resources, and tools necessary to find foreclosure homes nationwide. Membership required. About Us | Foreclosures | SiteMap www.foreclosuredeals.com Foreclosure Free Search Database of foreclosure listings nationwide. www.foreclosurefreesearch.com Foreclosure Leads Residential and commercial foreclosure listings. www.foreclosureleads.com Foreclosure Listings Bank & Government foreclosures. www.foreclosurelistings.com Foreclosure Reporting Service Publishes lists of new foreclosure cases filed in the counties of Broward, and Palm Beach, Florida. www.foreclosure-report.com Foreclosure Trac Review all of our lis pendens and auction sale data online through our database covering every one of the 8 New York metropolitan counties. www.foreclosuretrac.com Foreclosure-Repo-Auction.com Provides up-to-date foreclosure listings in all 50 states. Registration required. About Us | SiteMap | Contact Us www.foreclosure-repo-auction.com ForeclosureFreeSearch.com foreclosurefreesearch.com ForeclosureListingsNationWide.com, Inc. Provides an online database that has hundreds of thousands of foreclosure listings, including REO (bank owned), HUD, tax lien foreclosures, and more. 7 day trial membership to join. About Us | News | Foreclosures | SiteMap www.foreclosurelistingsnationwide.com ForeclosureNet.net: Foreclosure Property Listings Offers bank foreclosure and government foreclosured property listings across the US. Includes homes, rental properties, retail, and commercial. Free Trial | Search Listings | Foreclosure Info. | Testimonials www.foreclosurenet.net Foreclosures USA Nationwide bank & government foreclosure listings. www.foreclosuresusa.net Foreclosures.com Foreclosure lists-information. www.foreclosures.com Foreclosures.com: Real Estate Foreclosures Provides buyers of foreclosures with premium training on foreclosures, current listings of foreclosures, and reference information. www.foreclosures.com ForeClosureSeekers LLC Provider of online foreclosure property search services. Services are provided to real estate professionals and consumers. This company was capitalized by corporate investment. www.foreclosureseekers.com ForeclosuresMass: The Investors Choice for MA Foreclosures ForeclosuresMass lists all foreclosed properties in the state of Massachusetts weeks before they're printed in the paper or recorded at the registry. MA Foreclosures | Search By County | MA Stats www.foreclosuresmass.com ForeclosuresNet www.bankhomes.net ForeclosureWarehouse.com Provides property listings for more than 400.000 foreclosed homes in all 50 states. Updated daily. About Us | SiteMap | News | Glossary www.foreclosurewarehouse.com Foreclosureworld Foreclosure multiple listing service. www.foreclosureworld.net GovBargains Subscription based foreclosure searches. www.govbargains.com Green Point Financial Official website of Green Point Financial. www.greenpoint.com IRS Siezed Property Listings of Internal Revenue Service siezed property. www.treas.gov Metwest Mortgage Foreclosure properties for sale. www.metmtg.com MostlyForeclosures Provides database of nationwide foreclosure listings. Trial membership. Listings updated daily. www.mostlyforeclosures.com RealtyStore: Foreclosure Listings Save 20 - 50% on Foreclosure and HUD real estate. Ideal for investors, bargain hunters and first timers. Free trial membership (Credit Card required). www.realtystore.com RealtyTrac: Foreclosed Property Listings Provides foreclosure search engine for all 50 states with daily data updates, tax roll information, and photographs. Free 7-day trial. www.realtytrac.com Small Business Administration Property listings for sale. www.sba.gov US Foreclosure Network Educational & informational resource on legislative and regulatory developments, educational forums, and foreclosure and bankruptcy law. www.usfn.org Sponsored Links Foreclosure Listings Save big on local foreclosed homes. Savings 20-50% below market rates. www.RealtyTrac.com I'm Paying Cash For Homes Any Price, Condition, Or Location Sell Your Home Quickly & Easily www.webuyhomesaz.com Foreclosure Listings Buy Foreclosures from 50% off Search 600,000 listings for only $1 www.Bargain.com/Foreclosures Search the Business Internet ® Advertiser Center | Account Login | About Us | Careers at Business.com | Featured Listings Privacy | Terms Of Use | 2000-2005 Business.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Colorado Real Estate -
Colorado HomeFinder | ColoradoReal Estate, Search ColoradoHomes for Sale in the MLS Call 800.231.9153 | Contact Us If you already have an account, sign in here Colorado Real Estate - find out first about the newest real estate listings! You learn about homes for sale the day they hit the market - before other buyers. Automated HomeAlert emails you new listings that fit your personal home search criteria and gives you access to all the Colorado real estate listings. It's easy - Just submit your email address and home search criteria. Your email is not shared or sold to anyone. You incur no obligation or cost for this free real estate service. Our Privacy Policy: We respect your privacy. All information provided is strictly confidential and you can unsubscribe at any time. Colorado HomeFinder will never sell or share your information with any outside parties. Click here to review our Privacy Policy . Your Automated HomeAlert Search Criteria * Required information Property Type: * Please select... Single Family Condominium or Townhome Any Property Price Range: * From Price.. 75,000 100,000 125,000 150,000 160,000 170,000 180,000 190,000 200,000 210,000 220,000 230,000 240,000 250,000 275,000 300,000 325,000 350,000 375,000 400,000 425,000 450,000 475,000 500,000 525,000 550,000 575,000 600,000 625,000 650,000 675,000 700,000 750,000 800,000 850,000 900,000 950,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 5,000,000 - To Price.. 100,000 125,000 150,000 175,000 200,000 225,000 250,000 260,000 270,000 280,000 290,000 300,000 310,000 320,000 330,000 340,000 350,000 375,000 400,000 425,000 450,000 475,000 500,000 525,000 550,000 575,000 600,000 625,000 650,000 675,000 700,000 750,000 800,000 850,000 900,000 950,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 5,000,000 10,000,000 Min Bedrooms: 1 2 3 4 5 Min Bathrooms: 1 2 3 4 Min Square Feet: No Preference 500 600 700 800 900 1,000 1,100 1,200 1,300 1,400 1,500 1,600 1,700 1,800 1,900 2,000 2,100 2,200 2,300 2,400 2,500 2,600 2,700 2,800 2,900 3,000 3,250 3,500 3,750 4,000 4,500 5,000 6,000 Age of Home: No Age Preference New Construction Only 5 years or less 10 years or less 20 years or less Older than 50 years City Preferences: * Select at least one city... Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Please select if necessary Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Please select if necessary Arvada Aurora Berthoud Boulder Broomfield Castle Rock Denver Englewood Erie Estes Park Evans Evergreen Firestone Fort Collins Fort Lupton Fort Morgan Frederick Golden Highlands Ranch Johnstown Lakewood Lafayette Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Lyons Nederland Niwot Parker Severance Superior Thornton Wellington Westminster Windsor Contact Information Name: * First Name: Last Name: E-mail: * (Valid email address is required to receive listings) Re-enter E-mail: * Phone Contact: * Home Phone: Work Phone: Information that will help us serve you better Your level of Interest: * I have a HIGH interest in buying a home and am ready to start visiting homes now. (Please provide your phone number) I have a MEDIUM interest in buying a home, but I just started my search and need to become more familiar with the market. I do not have any definite plans to move at this time. I am just curious about the listings that are currently on the market. I currently: * live in Colorado plan to move to Colorado Your Comments Any additional information that will help us better understand your needs I agree with Colorado HomeFinder Terms & Conditions Just getting familiar with Colorado real estate? Or, do you know the exact street where you want to live? No matter what stage you are in your home search, Automated HomeAlert is for you! The latest technology makes finding homes for sale easier than ever ! Automatic email notification of new listings and access to all the real estate listings from all the brokerages saves you time - and makes searching for homes fun. You are in control! Colorado HomeFinder lets you search for real estate at your own pace. If you are just thinking about a buying a home, no problem...the Automated HomeAlert System is a great way to get familiar with the Colorado real estate market. If you are ready to start seeing homes in person, just let us know. Our local, licensed REALTORs can show you any property on the market. Get matched with a great REALTOR When you're ready for the assistance of a REALTOR, we will match you with the Colorado HomeFinder REALTOR that knows your target market best. Colorado HomeFinder agents are hand-picked REMAX professionals that average over 15 years of experience. We're a Colorado company, not a national referral service with a "list of agents." Our REALTORs are some of the best in the business and are true Colorado real estate market experts! Colorado HomeFinder, RE/MAX Alliance 4770 Baseline Road, Suite 200 Boulder, CO 80303 Colorado HomeFinder | Buy a Colorado Home | Sell a Colorado Home | Colorado Homes for Sale | Browse Colorado Listings | Colorado Realtors | Colorado Mortgage | Colorado Relocation Call toll free (800) 231-9153 or local (303) 543-3083 to be connected with a local expert Colorado RE/MAX REALTOR. New listing emails: Colorado Real Estate Denver Real Estate | Boulder Real Estate | Fort Collins Real Estate | Colorado Real Estate Broomfield Real Estate | Castle Rock Real Estate | Evergreen Real Estate | Highlands Ranch Real Estate | Littleton Real Estate We're a Colorado company with a network of hand picked RE/MAX REALTORS in 17 local offices across the state. 2005, Colorado HomeFinder , all rights reserved. Each office independently owned and operated. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Home Equity Loans -
Home Equity Loans - Agony or Ecstasy You are here: About > Money > Credit / Debt Management > Getting Money and Credit > Mortgage & Equity Loans > Home Equity Loans - Agony or Ecstasy Money Credit / Debt Essentials Credit And Credit File Fundamentals Basics Of Reducing Debt Credit and Debt Workshop Fast Financial Independence Debt Counseling Primer Articles & Resources Bankruptcy & Settlement Budgeting & Frugality Credit Law Credit Reports and Scoring Debt Counseling Debt Reduction Financial Planning Fraud and Protection Getting Money and Credit Learning About Money Smart Shopping Students and Education Tips, Essentials, Archives Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Guide Picks - Top Books On Credit & Debt Compare Insurance Carriers Compare Utility and Loan Providers Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Credit / Debt Management newsletter! See Online Courses Search Credit / Debt Management Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page Suggested Reading Biweekly Mortgage Payments The 'How-To' of Home Financing Mortgage Closiong Costs Suggested Reading Predatory Lenders Most Popular WARNING! Rising Minimum Payme Free Annual Credit Report Cleaner Credit Raises Scores Changes to the Bankruptcy Law Debt To Income Ratio What's Hot How To Consolidate Debt Credit / Debt Management - Articles Establishing Credit - Credit/Debt Management PayDay Loans Credit Problems.... Now What? Related Topics Frugal Living Financial Planning Online Shopping Banking / Loans Family Internet Home Equity Loans... Agony or Ecstasy From Apply Now , Your Guide to Credit / Debt Management . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Home Equity Loans - a dream come true or a living nightmare. A Home Equity Loan can be a dream come true or a living nightmare. It all depends on how you approach a home equity loan and for what reason you actually want the home equity in your hand instead of your home. If your intent is to reduce debt so that you have breathing room to pay more on other debts, a home equity loan MAY BE on the right track. However, if your objective is to have more breathing room so that you can add more debt, you are heading for a natural disaster. Basics of a Home Equity Loan - Good and Bad What is a home equity loan? A home equity loan is a second mortgage. It uses the collateral of your home to secure a loan. Good news - Because this is a secured loan, its interest is less than on many loans such as on a credit card. This is very attractive. Equally attractive is the fact that because it is a second mortgage, interest can offer a tax deduction. That's the good news. Bad news - But if a home equity loan is used to pay off unsecured debt such as a credit card, what you have done in essence is convert an unsecured debt into a secured debt with your home as the security. This is not a very sound plan. Not only that but just as when you default on your primary mortgage you could lose your home, so too you can lose your home by defaulting on your home equity loan. More bad news- Another draw back that has developed over the last few years is that often you can borrow more than your house is worth... up to 125% of the value of your home. This is called negative equity and means that if you sell the house because of a job transfer or any other reason, you must either get enough to pay off both loans or you will be paying off the home equity loan when you are trying to buy another home. Still more bad news - There is one other negative side to a home equity loan. You will have points and closing costs to get the loan just as you had when you got your first mortgage. Home Equity Warnings! Okay, so I did not scare you off with the above and you are still determined to get a home equity loan. What are the danger signs and issues to be watchful for? FTC warns: "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." Watch out for lowered payments because there is a balloon payment at the end. Balloon payments are large lump payments due as the last payment. Don't do it! Avoid home improvement cam which begin construction before any financing is settled. See Scams To Help You Lose Your Home . Avoid pre-payment penalties. If you want to pay off your loan ahead of time, you should not pay a fee to do so. A 10% prepayment fee is not uncommon... but is a lot of money. Avoid rate increases by avoiding missed or late payments. FTC Offers These Do's And Don t's: Don't agree to a home equity loan if you don't have enough income to make the monthly payments. Don's sign any document you haven't read or any document that has blank spaces to be filled in after you sign or let anyone pressure you into signing any document. Don't agree to a loan that includes credit insurance or extra products you don't want. Don's 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. Don't 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. DO keep careful records of what you've paid, including billing statements and canceled checks. Challenge any charge you think is inaccurate. Do check contractors' references when it is time to have work done in your home. Get more than one estimate. Important disclaimer information about this About site. Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot How To Consolidate Debt Credit / Debt Management - Articles Establishing Credit - Credit/Debt Management PayDay Loans Credit Problems.... Now What?