home equity. Why? Certain

Home Equity Scams: Borrowers Beware! Home Equity Loans : Borrowers Beware! D o you own your home? If so, it's likely to be your greatest single asset. Unfortunately, if you agree to a loan that's based on the equity you have in your home, you may be putting your most valuable asset at risk. Homeowners-particularly elderly, minority and those with low incomes or poor credit-should be careful when borrowing money based on their home equity. Why? Certain abusive or exploitative lenders target these borrowers, who unwittingly may be putting their home on the line. Abusive lending practices range from equity stripping and loan flipping to hiding loan terms and packing a loan with extra charges. The Federal Trade Commission urges you to be aware of these loan practices to avoid losing your home. The Practices Equity Stripping You need money. You don't have much income coming in each month. You have built up equity in your home. A lender tells you that you could get a loan, even though you know your income is just not enough to keep up with the monthly payments. The lender encourages you to "pad" your income on your application form to help get the loan approved. This lender may be out to steal the equity you have built up in your home. The lender doesn't care if you can't keep up with the monthly payments. As soon as you don't, the lender will foreclose-taking your home and stripping you of the equity you have spent years building. If you take out a loan but don't have enough income to make the monthly payments, you are being set up. You probably will lose your home. Hidden Loan Terms: The Balloon Payment You've fallen behind in your mortgage payments and may face foreclosure. Another lender offers to save you from foreclosure by refinancing your mortgage and lowering your monthly payments. Look carefully at the loan terms. The payments may be lower because the lender is offering a loan on which you repay only the interest each month. At the end of the loan term, the principal-that is, the entire amount that you borrowed-is due in one lump sum called a balloon payment. If you can't make the balloon payment or refinance, you face foreclosure and the loss of your home. Loan Flipping Suppose you've had your mortgage for years. The interest rate is low and the monthly payments fit nicely into your budget, but you could use some extra money. A lender calls to talk about refinancing, and using the availability of extra cash as bait, claims it's time the equity in your home started "working" for you. You agree to refinance your loan. After you've made a few payments on the loan, the lender calls to offer you a bigger loan for, say, a vacation. If you accept the offer, the lender refinances your original loan and then lends you additional money. In this practice-often called "flipping"-the lender charges you high points and fees each time you refinance, and may increase your interest rate as well. If the loan has a prepayment penalty, you will have to pay that penalty each time you take out a new loan. You now have some extra money and a lot more debt, stretched out over a longer time. The extra cash you receive may be less than the additional costs and fees you were charged for the refinancing. And what's worse, you are now paying interest on those extra fees charged in each refinancing. Long story short? With each refinancing, you've increased your debt and probably are paying a very high price for some extra cash. After a while, if you get in over your head and can't pay, you could lose your home. The "Home Improvement" Loan A contractor calls or knocks on your door and offers to install a new roof or remodel your kitchen at a price that sounds reasonable. You tell him you're interested, but can't afford it. He tells you it's no problem-he can arrange financing through a lender he knows. You agree to the project, and the contractor begins work. At some point after the contractor begins, you are asked to sign a lot of papers. The papers may be blank or the lender may rush you to sign before you have time to read what you've been given. The contractor threatens to leave the work on your house unfinished if you don't sign. You sign the papers. Only later, you realize that the papers you signed are a home equity loan. The interest rate, points and fees seem very high. To make matters worse, the work on your home isn't done right or hasn't been completed, and the contractor, who may have been paid by the lender, has little interest in completing the work to your satisfaction. Credit Insurance Packing You've just agreed to a mortgage on terms you think you can afford. At closing, the lender gives you papers to sign that include charges for credit insurance or other "benefits" that you did not ask for and do not want. The lender hopes you don't notice this, and that you just sign the loan papers where you are asked to sign. The lender doesn't explain exactly how much extra money this will cost you each month on your loan. If you do notice, you're afraid that if you ask questions or object, you might not get the loan. The lender may tell you that this insurance comes with the loan, making you think that it comes at no additional cost. Or, if you object, the lender may even tell you that if you want the loan without the insurance, the loan papers will have to be rewritten, that it could take several days, and that the manager may reconsider the loan altogether. If you agree to buy the insurance, you really are paying extra for the loan by buying a product you may not want or need. Mortgage Servicing Abuses After you get a mortgage, you receive a letter from your lender saying that your monthly payments will be higher than you expected. The lender says that your payments include escrow for taxes and insurance even though you arranged to pay those items yourself with the lender's okay. Later, a message from the lender says you are being charged late fees. But you know your payments were on time. Or, you may receive a message saying that you failed to maintain required property insurance and the lender is buying more costly insurance at your expense. Other charges that you don't understand-like legal fees-are added to the amount you owe, increasing your monthly payments or the amount you owe at the end of the loan term. The lender doesn't provide you with an accurate or complete account of these charges. You ask for a payoff statement to refinance with another lender and receive a statement that's inaccurate or incomplete. The lender's actions make it almost impossible to determine how much you've paid or how much you owe. You may pay more than you owe. Signing Over Your Deed If you are having trouble paying your mortgage and the lender has threatened to foreclose and take your home, you may feel desperate. Another "lender" may contact you with an offer to help you find new financing. Before he can help you, he asks you to deed your property to him, claiming that it's a temporary measure to prevent foreclosure. The promised refinancing that would let you save your home never comes through. Once the lender has the deed to your property, he starts to treat it as his own. He may borrow against it (for his benefit, not yours) or even sell it to someone else. Because you don't own the home any more, you won't get any money when the property is sold. The lender will treat you as a tenant and your mortgage payments as rent. If your "rent" payments are late, you can be evicted from your home. Protecting Yourself You can protect yourself against losing your home to inappropriate lending practices. Here's how: Don't: Agree to a home equity loan if you don't have enough income to make the monthly payments. Sign any document you haven't read or any document that has blank spaces to be filled in after you sign. Let anyone pressure you into signing any document. Agree to a loan that includes credit insurance or extra products you don't want. Let the promise of extra cash or lower monthly payments get in the way of your good judgment about whether the cost you will pay for the loan is really worth it. Deed your property to anyone. First consult an attorney, a knowledgeable family member, or someone else you trust. Do: Ask specifically if credit insurance is required as a condition of the loan. If it isn't, and a charge is included in your loan and you don't want the insurance, ask that the charge be removed from the loan documents. If you want the added security of credit insurance, shop around for the best rates. Keep careful records of what you've paid, including billing statements and canceled checks. Challenge any charge you think is inaccurate. Check contractors' references when it is time to have work done in your home. Get more than one estimate. Read all items carefully. If you need an explanation of any terms or conditions, talk to someone you can trust, such as a knowledgeable family member or an attorney. Consider all the costs of financing before you agree to a loan. For More Information The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues , visit www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel , a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FOR THE CONSUMER 1-877-FTC-HELP www.ftc.gov April 1998

HOUSE RENTAL SLEEPS UP

Azillanet delightful house rental, Languedoc, South France. VILLAGE HOUSE FOR RENT IN AZILLANET MINERVOIS, LANGUEDOC HOME FRANCE HOUSE VILLA RENTALS VILLAGE HOUSE RENTAL SLEEPS UP TO 7 5 MINS TO RIVER OR LAKE SWIMMING TERRACE WITH MAGNIFICENT VIEWS RENOVATED TO HIGH STANDARD CLOSE TO MINERVE, CARCASSONNE, NARBONNE, AND MEDITERRANEAN BEACHES A house in the quaint village of Azillanet, near Olonzac and Minerve, with magnificient views from the terrace. Situated in the heart of the Minervois region, close to the Mediterranean. Nearest swimming: River, 4 km. Lake, 7km. Sea, 37 km ACCESS: Airports - Carcassonne (40 mins), Toulouse (1h30m), Montpellier (1h30m), Barcelona (3hrs) Larger photo - Azillanet rental DETAILS OF ACCOMMODATION This delightful village house has been fully renovated , and special efforts have been invested in trying to bring out its traditional features. It is situated in the quiet village of Azillanet, close to Minerve, at the top of a narrow street, the rue du Couvent, very peaceful and safe for children, next to the large Church square with plenty of room for parking. Entering through double half-glazed doors, one sees a large kitchen/ dining/ living room. The kitchen is equipped with a stove, fridge and freezer, and an open fireplace with a woodburner stands on the side. To the left of the kitchen is a bathroom with a washbasin, shower, W.C. and a washing machine. To the back of the kitchen/dining area, equipped with a large dining-room table, is a lounge/ living area. Stairs lead to the upper floor with two double bedrooms, and one large single bedroom as well as an area with a cupboard. Access to the single bedroom is through one of the double bedrooms. The stairs lead up to the another floor, with a landing, off which is a twin bedroom and a private roof terrace with magnificent views over the village rooves, to the Aude valley plain, the Pyréneés, and the Black Mountains. The terrace is furnished with garden furniture and a barbecue. It is totally private with no windows overlooking it. Special features: Electric heating in each room. View from terrace Dining / kitchen area Lounge area View from 2nd floor bedroom 2nd floor landing 1st floor double bedroom 2nd floor twin bedroom AZILLANET AND SURROUNDING AREA Azillanet is a small village of 230 inhabitants including a small grocery shop, butcher, post office, excellent cave cooperative and restaurant. The bread van selling baguettes and croissants stops outside the house at 8.55 every morning. Olonzac, only 4 kms away offers a wider variety of shops and has a market every Tuesday morning and another one on Fridays in the summer. The village is situated at the heart of the Minervois, renowned for its red wines and is located where the river plain changes to a picturesque landscape of limestone gorges, hills, and vineyards. In the plain, a short distance away is the Canal du Midi (where boats can be rented) and the Lac de Jouarres, a small lake offering beaches, a cafe restaurant and swimming Ten minutes up into the hills is the magical village of Minerve, straddling deep river gorges, with natural bridges, where swimming is possible. A village known for the Cathar martyrs that died after a long seige by Simon de Montfort. A village with great restaurants, art gallery, streets and mountain paths to discover. The old washhouse, Azillanet Map showing location of Azillanet, Languedoc DESCRIPTION OF SURROUNDING AREA Thirty minutes away in one direction are the cities of Carcassonne with its magnificent medieval walled city, and in the other direction the cities of Béziers - well known for its fêtes in the Summer months (with bull fighting) and its flower market, and Narbonne, with its Roman museum and sites, shops and restaurants, and its close neighbour the endless miles of beaches at Narbonne Plage, Gruissan, and beyond. To the south east are the hills of the Corbières with the beautiful abbeys at Lagrasse and Fontfroide, the mountainous castles of Quéribus and Peyrepertuse, as well as the idyllic seaside resort of Collioure. ACCESS Airports - Carcassonne (40 mins), Toulouse (1h30m), Montpellier (1h30m), Barcelona (3hrs). Railway (TGV) - Narbonne (40 mins) . HOUSE FOR RENT IN AZILLANET, MINERVOIS - SLEEPS UP TO 7, TERRACE Bookings are Saturday to Saturday. Prices include bed linen, but do not include towels. Payment is in euros - though Pounds sterling is also accepted. Rentalcosts below are based on the Euro value (£GPB and $US are approximate) LONG TERM RENTALS AVAILABLE WEEKLY RATES 2006 £ GBP $ US EUROS OTHER MONTHS £215 $400 €320 APRIL, MAY £270 $500 €400 JUNE, SEPTEMBER £305 $565 €450 JULY, AUGUST £375 $690 €550 Contact Joelle Saunders at Tel (33) 4 68 91 30 61 E-mail: azillanet@southfrance.com Rue du Couvent Azillanet 34210 Olonzac France South France Guide | Languedoc Sights | Art Workshops | Vacation Properties | Properties for sale Advertise your house

Buy Home

FCIC: HUD Home Buying Guide Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page -- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development THE HUD HOME BUYING GUIDE www.hud.gov espanol.hud.gov YOUR DREAM HOME COULD BE A HUD HOME. OWNING A HOME OF YOUR OWN. Almost everybody has a dream home. A place they like to wander through in their thoughts, choosing imaginary wallpaper and putting in imaginary skylights. But for too many people, dream homes remain just thatdreams. The reality of owning their own home never seems to become theirs. Thats where the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) comes into the picture. HUD is a government agency created to help make the American dream of homeownership a real possibility for everyone. Since 1934, HUDs Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has helped millions of Americans unlock the door to homeownership and have a home of their own. We do it by making homebuying easier and more affordable. One way we can do this is by selling homes HUD owns in many communities throughout the U.S., at attractive prices and economical terms. So that home youve been dreaming about just may be one you buy from HUD. But whether you decide on a HUD Home or not, you can use this guide to take you step by step through each stage of finding and buying your own home. HOW MUCH HOME CAN YOU AFFORD? Before you start shopping for a home, you need to know what kind of home to shop for. To determine that, of course, youve got to figure out how much you can afford to pay each month. Fortunately, theres a pretty simple formula for coming up with this number. Its the FHA formula that many mortgage lenders use. The FHA has found that most people can afford to budget 29 percent of their gross monthly income to housing expenses, depending on total debt. Buyers with no debt can budget as much as 41 percent of monthly income to housing. No need to reach for your calculatorweve done the math for you. The two charts on the opposite page should tell you everything you need to know. The first chart tells you how much 29 percent of your monthly income is. Find your annual income, or a figure close to it, in the column at the left. Then read across to find out howmuch yourmonthly gross income is, and finally,what 29 percent of that figureamounts to. This is approximately how much you can spend on total housing costs each month. The second chart tells you how much your monthly mortgage might be based on a homes selling price. Remember to keep in mind that the monthly figure from this second chart is based on a 30-year fixed mortgage and includes monthly principal and interest payments only. Taxes and insurance which vary from community to community are not included. So if 29 percent of your gross income is, say, $604, that doesnt mean you can pay a $604-per-month mortgage. You need to look at a mortgage somewhat below that, to leave room for taxes and insurance. Be sure to ask your lender to help you estimate how much your total costs will be. Annual Gross Income Monthly Gross Income 29% of Gross Income $15,000 $1,250 $363 20,000 1,667 483 25,000 2,083 604 30,000 2,500 725 35,000 2,917 846 40,000 3,333 967 45,000 3,750 1,088 50,000 4,167 1,208 MORTGAGE PAYMENT CALCULATOR. Monthly principal, interest payments for 30-year, fixed rate mortgage.Monthly taxes, insurance not included. COST 6% 6.5% 7% 7.5% 8% 8.5% 9% 9.5% 10% $25,000 $ 150 158 166 175 183 192 201 210 219 $30,000 $ 180 190 200 210 220 231 241 252 263 $40,000 $ 240 253 266 280 293 308 322 336 351 $50,000 $ 300 316 333 350 367 384 402 420 439 $60,000 $ 360 379 399 420 440 461 483 505 527 $70,000 $ 420 442 466 489 514 538 563 589 614 $80,000 $ 480 506 532 559 587 615 644 673 702 $90,000 $ 540 569 599 629 660 692 724 757 790 $100,000 $ 600 632 665 699 734 769 805 841 878 $110,000 $ 660 695 732 769 807 846 885 925 965 $120,000 $ 719 758 798 839 880 923 966 1,009 1,053 $130,000 $ 780 822 865 909 954 1,000 1,046 1,093 1,141 $140,000 $ 839 885 931 979 1,027 1,076 1,126 1,177 1,229 $150,000 $ 899 948 998 1,049 1,101 1,153 1,207 1,261 1,316 $160,000 $ 959 1,011 1,064 1,119 1,174 1,230 1,287 1,345 1,404 $170,000 $1,019 1,075 1,131 1,189 1,247 1,307 1,368 1,429 1,492 IT'S TIME TO STOP TALKING ABOUT IT AND BEGIN DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT. HELP IS AVAILABLE. You will have lots of questions and countless issues to consider when you buy a home. You'll need someone that can help you through the process.Agood real estate agent is a good place to start. The quality of local schools, neighborhood safety, the number of children in the area, and traffic patterns are just a few of the issues to be considered in shopping for the right home. A real estate professional can be helpful in guiding you to the right source for facts and useful information. And all the financial details that can seem so mind-boggling to first-time home buyers are something the agent deals with every day. He or she will help you figure the price range you can afford, explain the different types of mortgages, guide you through the paperwork, and be there to answer last-minute questions when you sign the final papers at closing. If you're buying a HUD Home, you're required to use a real estate agent. While purchasing a HUD Home may be easier than many private real estate transactions, there are still some requirements which must be metcertain forms that must be used, and procedures that must be followed. But these requirements are clearly stated in advance, and the real estate agent will be there to help you through it all. There are no negotiations between buyer and seller when you buy a HUD Home. This can be a real advantage. There's no haggling about priceeverything is spelled out in black and white. What's more, your offer is responded to promptly, and if it's accepted, closing on the home usually will occur within 30-60 days. Finding a HUD-approved selling broker is not difficult, especially since so many real estate brokers are happy to sell HUD Homes. All you need to do is to call a few brokers who work in the area you're interested in and you'll find someone willing and experienced. Some brokers specifically advertise their desire to sell HUD Homes in the real estate sections of newspapers. Best of all, the valuable help you'll receive from the real estate agent is usually free! In most instances, agents get their sales commission from the home seller, not you, the buyer. Even if you're buying a HUD Home, HUD will pay the broker's commission. THERE'S A HUD HOME WITH YOUR NAME ON IT. Out of all the homes for sale in your area, there is likely to be one that has everything you want. The trick is simply to find it. Of course, your real estate agent can be a big help. But even the agent will need to know what your priorities are. Is a short commute important to you? Or are schools your biggest concern? How many bedrooms do you think you need? Before you begin looking at homes, try to decide in advance exactly what you want. This can save you and the agent a lot of time. It's a good idea to actually write down your wishes, and share the list with your agent. This is helpful because he or she will usually have lists of the properties for sale in your area, including all the HUD Homes. HUD Homes are listed in the local multiple listing service (MLS) and on the internet at www.hud.gov. A broker should have all the information you need. Almost any home you look atwill have room for improvement. But the more that needs to be done to a home, the less you're going to have to pay for it.HUDHomes, because they're sold in as-is condition, can often be a great, affordable opportunity for the fixer-upper. Many are in fine neighborhoods and offer outstanding values. And while some HUD Homes do qualify as handyman specials, many are in very good condition. HUD does not warrant the condition of its properties, butwill give you the information it has about the condition of the property you're interested in. You can use this information in formulating your bid. There's even a HUD loan program available called the 203(K), where buyers can borrow money to make repairs on some properties. You repay these funds later, as part of your mortgage. Just be aware that 203(K) funds aren't available for all houses in all areas. Ask the real estate agent you're working with about 203(K) availability in your area. BEGINNING TO MAKE IT YOUR OWN. Once you've found the home of your dreams, it's time to make an offer to buy it. Before deciding how much to offer, HUD urges you to get a professional home inspection. It can also be helpful to find out how long the home has been on the marketif it's been for sale awhile, the seller may be more willing to bargain. After you and the agent have prepared your offer, he or she will present it to the seller. It may be accepted or rejected, or the seller may counter your offer by asking for a higher price or by making changes in the sales contract. Making an offer to buy a HUD Home is often much easier than the process of buying a homeon the private market.Your bidwill be submitted electronically through a computer, a touchtone telephone or by real estate broker. The person making the highest acceptable bid is generally awarded that HUD Home. Offers for HUD Homes can only be made through a licensed real estate broker. This way, HUD requirements are met and buyers get the help they need. HUD will pay real estate commissions if the commission amount is requested as part of the bid. The initial listing price of each property is HUD's estimate of current fair market value and is based upon an appraisal conducted by an independent real estate appraiser. HUD may accept an offer that is less than the listing price, depending on market conditions and the length of time the property has been on the market. In some instances, buyers will offer more than the listing price if they believe the market conditions demand it or if the home is particularly appealing. It is important for buyers to be aware of the property values established by HUD and submit offers knowingly. You will generally make your offer for a HUD Home during a designated Listing Period. With the commencement of the Initial Listing Period, bids may be submitted by all potential purchasers. However, priority will be given to owner-occupant purchasers for the first 10 calendar days as follows: All owner-occupant offers received during the first five days of this10 day period will be considered to have been received simultaneously. On the first business day following the expiration of the five day period, owner-occupant bids are reviewed, at which point the highest acceptable net owner-occupant will be accepted. Should there be no acceptable owner-occupant bids, owner-occupant bids will be reviewed on a daily basis for the remaining five days. At each such daily review, HUD will accept the highest acceptable net owner-occupant bid. At the conclusion of the 10-day owner-occupant priority period, should the property remain unsold, a review of all general public bids (e.g. investor) received during the 10 day period will be conducted. Earnest money. When you make an offer on a home, the seller will usually require an earnest money deposit as proof that your offer is serious. If the offer is accepted, your earnest money deposit will become part of your down payment or closing costs. If your offer is rejected, the broker will return your earnest money to you. YOU'RE ALMOST HOME. DIFFERENT LOANS FOR DIFFERENT HOME BUYERS. Just as there is more than one kind of home, there is more than one way to finance it. Mortgage lenders have come up with many different methods of helping you pay for a home each one with its own advantages and disadvantages. First of all, you should know that HUD itself does not provide financing. You obtain financing through a bank or mortgage lender. Since many HUD Homes are eligible for FHA-insured mortgage loans, this can make financing easier to obtain. However, you are not required to get an FHA loan to buy a HUD Home. Fixed-Rate Mortgage. With a fixed-rate mortgage, your interest rate stays the same for the term of the mortgage, which is usually 30 years. Your principal and interest payment remains stable, making it easier to plan a monthly budget. However, initial interest rates tend to be higher than with other types of loans. Adjustable-Rate Mortgage. With an ARM, your interest rate and monthly payments start out lower than with a fixed-rate, but your rate and payments can change either up or down, depending on where interest rates in general are going. (If they're going up, your monthly payments will probably go up as well, sometimes significantly.) FHA-Insured Mortgage. In this type of loan, the Federal Government insures the lender against loss in case the home buyer defaults on the loan. This program was set up so that Americans who can't afford the 10 percent to 20 percent down payment required by most lenders can still buy a home. Many HUD Homes can be bought with FHA-insured mortgages, which allow you to purchase the home with a low down payment. You do not have to be a first-time buyer in order to qualify for an FHA loan. VA Loan.Under this program, the Department of Veterans Affairs guarantees the lender against loss. HUD Homes may be purchased with a VA loan or any other loan. Assumable or Non-Assumable. You may find a home with a mortgage loan you can assume from the previous owner. This means that the lender is willing to transfer the old loan on the home to you. These loans can be wonderful bargains, and the paperwork is usually not very complicated. Before you decide which loan is right for you, talk to your loan officer. You'll get information that will help you figure out which option best suits your needs. HUD BRINGS UP-FRONT COSTS DOWN. The costs of buying a home are more than just the price you agree to pay for it. Before you move in, you'll have to pay various charges, which we explain below. The good news is, with HUD Homes these costs may be lower than they are with other homes. DOWN PAYMENT. Most people know that a down payment is a percentage of the price of the home that must be paid up front, in cash. The typical downpayment is three percent and family members may give a gift to make up the balance of the downpayment. CLOSING COSTS. This term covers various fees your lender charges for providing your loan, and other expenses. Closing costs typically add up to about 3 percent or 4 percent of the price of your home, depending on where you purchase it. But when you buy a HUD Home, these costs may be picked up by HUD if this incentive is offered by HUD and if they are specifically requested, by dollar amount, in the bid offering. If you buy a HUD Home, HUD may pay many of your usual and customary closing expenses plus real estate sales commissions. Just remember that closing costs and sales commissions are deducted from the bid amount in making the decision as to which offer brings the greatest return to HUD. Since bidding is competitive, you may, in order to offer a more competitive bid, pay your own closing costs. This makes HUD's net return greater, making your bid more favorable and increasing the likelihood that HUD will accept your offer. COMMISSIONS. These are paid to the broker by the seller, and usually amount to 6% or 7% of the cost of the house.When you buy aHUDHome, the selling agent's commissions are usually paid by HUD. CHECKING IT OUT BEFORE YOU CHECK IN. Before you buy anything, you'll want to know exactly what it is you're getting. With something as important as your home, you can't know too much. That's why it's a good idea to get a professional inspection of your home even before you make the offer. HUD strongly urges every home buyer to get a professional inspection, whether you're buying a HUD Home or not. HUD Homes are sold in as-is condition. That means you agree, if you buy the home, to accept it in its present condition. HUD does not pay for the correction of defects in existing homes that it sells or on homes purchased with FHA-insured mortgages. The owner of the home will be responsible for needed repairs. Therefore, be sure of the condition of the home before you submit your offer. THE FINISH LINE. The day you finally close on your new home will probably be one of the most exciting in your life. Finally, the long, tedious process of finding a home and getting a loan is over, and by the time the day is done, you'll be the proud and happy owner of your new home. Before that day ends, you will be asked to sign a seemingly endless number of forms, but the closing agent will go over each one with you. It's all necessary, but you can make it a little easier by asking the real estate agent about it before the big day comes. Also, when you apply for your loan, your lender is required to give you a booklet explaining closing costs, an estimate of how much cash you'll have to supply at the closing, and a list of all the documents you'll need. If you have any questions, perhaps they are answered in the Q and A section that follows. If not, why not go straight to the phone right now, and call a real estate agent and ask about HUD Homes? It's a small, first step. But the journey could eventually end at the door to a home you call your own. Good luck and have fun! QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT HUD HOMES. What is a HUD Home? A HUD Home may be a single-family house, a townhome, condominium or other type of residence. The properties were deeded to HUD/FHA by mortgage companies who had foreclosed on FHA-insured mortgage loans. Now HUD must sell these homesas quickly as possible at market valuein order to obtain the maximum financial return on its mortgage insurance funds. Who can buy a HUD Home? Anyone who has the money or can qualify for the necessary amount of mortgage financing can purchase a HUD Home. You do not have to be low-income or meet any other such limitations. Can I get a HUD Home for free, or for one dollar? No. HUD acquires its properties through the foreclosure of FHA insured mortgages. One of HUD's many missions is to maximize return to the FHA insurance fund, which it does by selling the properties at fair market value. How do I buy a HUD Home? Our policy is to market acquired properties on a competitive basis with offers being submitted through any participating licensed real estate broker. Local brokers will assist you in the transaction. They can show the property to prospective buyers, as well as answer questions and provide information on the location of parks, schools, shopping, and employment centers. Are HUD Homes meant for low income people? HUD Homes come in a variety of price ranges, though most are affordably priced, making them accessible to low and moderate income Americans. What are the income requirements? If youmake a cash purchase, there are no income requirements. Otherwise, you must be able to qualify for a particular type of mortgage financing based on established mortgage lending criteria (see page 3). How does HUD decide how much to charge for a HUD Home? The listing price of a HUD property is a price based on the appraised value. Can investors purchase HUD Homes? Yes. However, HUD offers its properties to owner/occupants for a period before making them available to investors. What happens if I can't close the sale within the time permitted by HUD? You'll probably have to pay fees for an extension of time, usually in increments of 15 days. Is there any way for me to get advanced notice about homes that will be coming up for sale? No. HUD Homes are listed for sale in the local multiple listing service (MLS), the Internet at www.hud.gov or ask your broker. A WORD ABOUT LEAD-BASED PAINT. HUD and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have begun a nationwide effort to alert home buyers to the risk that older homes may contain lead-based paint. Lead exposure can be harmful to young children. If you are making an offer on a home constructed prior to 1978, you should receive a copy of the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home from your broker. You will be required to submit a lead-based paint addendum with your offer on the HUD Home. You will be given the opportunity to conduct a risk assessment or lead-based paint inspection (at your own expense) prior to being obligated under the contract. TERMS YOU NEED TO KNOW. Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) . A type of mortgage rate loan whose interest rate changes periodically up or down, usually once or twice a year. Annual Percentage Rate (APR). Everything financed in your mortgage loan package (interest, loan fees, points or other charges) expressed as a percentage of the loan amount (usually slightly above the actual interest rate alone). Assumable Loan. A loan in which the lender is willing to transfer from the previous owner of the home to the new owner, sometimes at the same interest rate, sometimes at a new rate. An assumable loan can make your home more attractive to buyers when you want to sell. Closing Costs. Costs the buyer must pay at the time of closing in addition to the down payment: including points, mortgage insurance premium, homeowners insurance, prepayments for property taxes, etc. Closing costs average 3 percent -4 percent of the loan amount. If you're buying a HUD Home, you can request they be paid by HUD, if the sales incentive is offered. Contingency. A condition put on an offer to buy a home; such as the prospective buyer making an offer contingent on his or her sale of a present home. Conventional Mortgage. A type of mortgage not insured by either the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and thus usually requiring a 10 percent - 20 percent down payment. (HUD Homes may be purchased with a conventional mortgage.) Earnest Money. Funds submitted with an offer to show good faith to follow through with the purchase. Earnest money is placed by the broker in an escrow/trust account until closing, when it becomes part of the down payment or closing costs. (HUD generally requires an earnest money deposit of $500-$2,000.) Escrow. A procedure in which documents or transfers of cash and property are put in the care of a third party, other than the buyer or seller. FHA Financing. Financing for a loan which will be insured against loss by the Federal Housing Administrationa part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Such financing allows for a lower down payment than required by most lenders. Homeowners Insurance. Insurance that protects the homeowner from casualty (losses or damage to the home or personal property) and from liability (damages to other people or property). Required by the lender and usually included in the monthly mortgage payment. Loan Origination Fee. A fee charged by the lender for evaluating, preparing, and submitting a proposed mortgage loan. Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP). A charge paid by the borrower (usually as part of the closing costs) to obtain financing, especially when making a down payment of less than 20 percent of the purchase price, for example on an FHA-insured loan. Point. An amount equal to one percent of the principal amount being borrowed. The lender may charge the borrower several points in order to provide the loan. Property Taxes. Taxes (based on the assessed value of the home) paid by the homeowner for community services such as schools, public works, and other costs of local government. Paid as a part of the monthly mortgage payment. Title Insurance. Protects lenders and homeowners against loss of their interest in property due to legal defects in the title. VA Loan. A loan guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs against loss to the lender, and made through a private lender. (HUD Homes may be purchased with a VA loan.) U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Single Family Housing 451 Seventh Street, SW Washington DC 20410-3000 August 2004 Return to Federal Citizen Information Center Home Page Printer-friendly page --

Purchase Property

display-points -- This page uses JavaScript. Please enable it or upgrade your browser. UK Property Web - Home Buying and Selling Your browser does not support the script needed to run elements on this website. Please upgrade your browser or enable javascript in your browser's properties. Houses for sale. Dedicated to helping you buy and sell property throughout the UK. Houses For Sale UK Home :: Buy :: Sell :: Letting :: Services :: About us Property and Houses For Sale Privately in the UK We would like to welcome you to UK Property Web on your first visit! If your selling or buying you've come to the right place, we have 100's of houses for sale from all over the UK. Please be sure to contact us if you think we can help you purchase or sell a property. Advertise with us. Houses For Sale with UK Property Web Enter the name of a 'Town', 'County' or 'Region' and hit GO. e.g. 'Southampton' or 'Hampshire' or England. You can also search by Ref number enter all the numbers after Ref UKPW:00 UK Property Web is associated with the following websites: Search for houses from the comfort of your own home: advertise with us, you advertise with them... Houses for sale, flats, apartments, bungalows, cottages... advertisment You won't find another website that offers the same for less! Total Control of Enquiries No Commission Massive Savings Coverage Over 5 Websites Quality Photographs and Descriptions Wide Range of Properties Simple Property Search Total Coverage Over the UK UK PROPERTY WEB NEWS & UPDATES ~ Concerned about the housing market? Click here to find out more ~ ~ Will there be a repeat of the 1990 housing crash? ~ ~ Property Secrets ~ back to top @ UK Property Web we accept credit cards, debit cards and cheques. UK Property Web, 1 Pipit Close, Weymouth, Dorset, DT3 5RT. Email: contact us There are 23 active visitors. web design by

Real Estate Prices

DQNews - DataQuick Real Estate Headlines and Statistics -- December 29, 2005 DQNews Home | DataQuick | Forums | -- Release | Custom Reports Search -- i Updated: December 27, 2005 -- -- -- Real Estate News -- . -- DQNEWS HOME -- RECENT RELEASES Monthly for SoCal Monthly for Bay Area New! -- CA Monthly City Chart ZIP CODE CHARTS Updated Monthly: LA Times Zip Chart SD Union Tribune Chart OC Register Chart SF Chronicle Chart Sacramento Bee Chart Annual Charts: CA 2004 City Chart LA Times 2004 Chart OC Register 2004 Chart SD Tribune 2004 Chart SF Chronicle 2004 Chart Sac Bee 2004 Chart Updated Weekly: SJ Mercury News Chart California SoCal Area Bay Area -- REGIONAL CHARTS Phoenix 3Q05 Honolulu 3Q05 Las Vegas 3Q05 Portland 3Q05 Seattle 3Q05 Nashville 3Q05 Miami/Palm Bch 3Q05 Jacksonville, FL 3Q05 Denver 3Q05 Chicago 3Q05 CURRENT HEADLINES Home Sale Trends Mortgage Trends -- Foreclosures Million Dollar Homes Building Activity Other Feature Articles NATIONAL NEWS -- WEB SITE EXTRAS ARCHIVED ARTICLES -- Customized News Services -- -- Custom Reports Archived Zip Code Charts Archived Articles -- Enter your email address to receive DQNews Headlines by email: -- Who We Are -- -- -- Find Out More About DQNews -- -- California November Home Sales Report A total of 51,250 new and resale houses and condos were sold statewide last month. That's down 4.6 percent from 53,700 for October and down 3.8 percent from 53,250 for November 2004. A decline from October to November is normal for the season. full story Slower Bay Area home sales, steady price increase -- Bay Area home sales continued to slow on a year-over-year basis while prices continued to climb. . . full story -- -- Southland home sales strong, prices hit new peak -- Southern California home sales remained at near-record levels last month as prices continued their climb to new heights, the result of continued demand and the expectation that mortgage interest rates will continue to increase... full story California Foreclosures Edge Up Foreclosure activity in California showed a year-over-year increase during the last quarter for the first time in more than three years, the result of lower appreciation rates and riskier loans. . . full story Million-Dollar Home Sales Rise in Golden State -- More million-dollar homes were sold in California last year than in the two previous years combined . . . full story California's home buyers increasingly choose ARMs A rising portion of California's home buyers are financing with adjustable-rate mortgages as rising prices and rate increases earlier this year make it harder to buy. . . full story -- California Home Buyer Surnames for 2002 TOP TEN Most Common Last Names of California Home Buyers Name Rank Median Price Garcia 1 $197,000 Smith 2 $250,000 Nguyen 3 $300,000 Lopez 4 $195,000 Lee 5 $325,000 Hernandez 6 $189,000 Rodriguez 7 $189,000 Martinez 8 $197,000 Gonzalez 9 $192,000 Johnson 10 $242,000 **2002** Metropolitan Area Home Sale Charts Look up the median home price in your zip code Record sales to Hispanic home buyers Hispanic home buyers accounted for a record portion of California's home purchase activity during the third quarter, the result of socio-demographic gains and available mortgage financing. . . full story Homebuyers CA YTD2001 Rank Last Names 1 Garcia 2 Smith 3 Lee 4 Martinez 5 Hernandez -- DQNews Quick Data: $280 billion was added to the value of California's housing stock in annual appreciation last year. The median homeowner is 'making' $2,384 monthly just by owning a home. -- CALIFORNIA'S TOP HOMEBUYER LAST NAMES 2000 Rank Last Name Median price paid 2000 1990 Rank 1 Garcia $145,500 (4) 2 Smith $189,000 (2) 3 Lee $262,000 (1) 4 Johnson $182,000 (3) 5 Lopez $144,500 (7) 6 Martinez $146,000 (8) 7 Hernandez $141,750 (14) 8 Rodriguez $145,000 (6) 9 Nguyen $246,000 (13) 10 Gonzalez $140,750 (10) 11 Williams $175,000 (12) 12 Brown $183,000 (9) 13 Sanchez $145,000 (18) 14 Miller $205,750 (11) 15 Jones $179,750 (15) 16 Ramirez $138,000 (22) 17 Kim $265,000 (5) 18 Perez $148,500 (20) 19 Davis $178,000 (19) 20 Anderson $197,500 (17) 21 Martin $176,000 (23) 22 Flores $146,000 (30) 23 Gomez $147,000 (31) 24 Wilson $190,500 (25) 25 Tran $252,000 (43) CC Coming Up: Coming Up: Equity lending in Florida Washington state's $million home market Crunch for entry-level buyers - or not? Fannie, Freddie and the conforming limit (yawn...) Most boring neighborhoods: the list Texas home buyer names -- Foreclosure Sales: The number of home foreclosure sales in California was a low 709 in the third quarter of 2005. Last year there were 1,007 home foreclosure sales in the same time period. Top Lender Update: Wells Fargo Bank was California`s most active home mortgage lender in the third quarter of 2005, followed by Washington Mutual and Countrywide Home Loans - (ranked by residential loan $). Least Expensive Communities: In the 3rd quarter of 2005, the three CA cities with the lowest median price (and over 50 sales) were: Taft at $120,000, Twentynine Palms at $140,000 and Barstow at $142,000. Most Expensive Communities: In the 3rd quarter of 2005, the three CA cities with the highest median price (and over 50 sales) were: Rancho Santa Fe at $2,372,500, Newport Coast at $1,914,750, and Belevedere Tiburon at $1,765,000. Million Dollar Home Sales: 30 communities in CA had a median home price of over $1 million in the 3rd quarter of 2005 (with 50+ sales). There were eighteen cities in that category in 3Q04. Refi Trend: California residential refinancing activity in the third quarter of 2005 was up 9.8% from the third quarter of 2004 and up 8.0% from the second quarter of 2005. " -- . DATAQUICK IN THE NEWS -- Sacramento Bee Homes sales fall 21 percent Orange County Register O.C. housing prices back near peak The median sales price was $616,000 last month, $1,000 shy of August's record, and more gains will come next month, according to market tracker DataQuick. Los Angeles Times Southland Housing Sustains Solid Gains San Francisco Chronicle Bay Area boom easing Home sales slow a bit but price growth is still strong San Jose Mercury News Home price spiral eases MEDIAN PRICE IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY JUMPS ONLY $750 FROM MONTH AGO AS SALES DROP 5.8% San Diego Union Tribune Home sales have seen better days Prices up, but seasonal activity down for 17th straight month San Francisco Chronicle Foreclosures in Bay Area down 13% to a 14-year low Rapid increase in prices has helped reduce rate of default Los Angeles Times Loan Default Notices Rise for First Time in 3 Years New York Times Do Try This at Home: Assess Your Area's Real Estate Bubble Forbes Real Estate Strong Despite Higher Interest Money Magazine Cuckoo for Condos! USA Today Got $75M? Here's the house for you USA Today 'New urbanism' embraces Latinos Can't Find Sunday's Newspaper? Find your zip code here! LA Times 2001 Chart LA Times Zip Chart SD Tribune Chart OC Register Chart SF Chronicle 2001 Chart SF Chronicle Chart Sac Bee 2001 Chart Sacramento Bee Chart Updated Weekly: SJ Mercury News Chart -- DQNews Forums -- enter here -- -- View the DQNews News editorial policy. -- Contact us at info@DQNews.com | DQNews Home | DataQuick Homepage