Mortgage & Refinancing Information


Home Equity Loans Popular Scams


Most borrowers fail to realize that when trading their much beloved home for cash, lenders can foreclose on their property in the case of default. Moreover, because of fly-by-night operators who are ready to strip unsuspecting borrowers of their most prized asset, it is doubly necessary that borrowers be familiar with some frauds that could be perpetrated on them.

Stripping: The most common type of home equity loan fraud is "stripping," wherein lenders give loans to borrowers knowing fully that the borrower would be unable to repay them, thus paving the way for these scamsters to foreclose on your property and then sell it for a neat profit. The most common ruse for making borrowers accept such high-cost debt is disguising them as home repair loans. Many an unsuspecting borrower who has a lot of home equity but also piles of credit card debt can easily be taken for a ride.

Flipping: This is an old favorite where a lender will agree to refinance an existing mortgage rather than foreclosing. This is normally music to the ears of a weary borrower, but what is not disclosed are the exorbitant fees that are charged in refinancing which only increase the debt burden of the borrower.

Packing: In such a case the lender adds or "pads" extra charges into the home equity loan in the shape of credit insurance, settlement charges and other fringe charges which are of no real use to the borrower. The worst part is that such charges do little benefit to the borrower but unnecessarily eat away at the equity of a home.

However, some simple steps, such as checking a lender's credentials, shopping around for better deals, and consulting experts, can make the task of applying for a home equity loan that much easier.

Home Equity Loans - Rates, in depth articles and professional second mortgage advice. Find the lowest home equity loans rates and lenders.


MORE RESOURCES:

ABC News

Pros and Cons of a Mortgage Refinance
FreeRateUpdate.com
Many homeowners are jumping on the opportunity to save money with a mortgage refinance at the current low mortgage rates. With mortgage rates at historically low levels, some homeowners have refinanced more than once in the past several years which is ...
Who Qualifies for the $26 Billion Foreclosure Settlement?TIME

all 3,447 news articles »


Lenders say mortgage refinance deal will bolster Manatee market
Bradenton Herald
By JOSH SALMAN - jsalman@bradenton.com MANATEE -- A new refinance program to help underwater homeowners will uplift the local economy by putting extra cash into the pockets of those who will spend it, area lenders predict. The deal struck with five of ...

and more »


Mortgage-refinance bill a dangerous deal
Arizona Republic
by Robert Robb, columnist - Feb. 10, 2012 12:00 AM State Sen. Michele Reagan wants to help out underwater homeowners in the worst way. And she has succeeded with SB 1451 -- it's hard to imagine a worse bill. Reagan proposes to establish a state agency ...

and more »


Housing Wire

Obama pressures Congress on mortgage refinance program
Fox News
WASHINGTON – President Obama is rallying support for his plan to expand government assistance to homeowners, pressuring Congress to help lower lending rates for millions of strapped homeowners. Obama, in his radio and Internet address Saturday, ...
President Obama's Mortgage Refinance Plan Just a Bid for VotesYahoo! Contributors Network
Obama Unveils Mortgage Refinance EndeavorsMortgageorb
New Obama mortgage refinance plan to near $10 billionHousing Wire
Go Banking Rates -MNI News -CBS Moneywatch
all 1,239 news articles »


MonitorBankRates.com

Mortgage Refinance Rates: 15 Year Refinance Mortgage Rates at 3.29%
MonitorBankRates.com
Mortgage refinance rates on 30 year conforming home loans are averaging 3.98%, unchanged from yesterday's average 30 year mortgage refinance rate. Mortgage refinance rates today on 15 year home mortgage loans are averaging 3.29%, down from yesterday's ...

and more »


Fox News

Obama Proposes Mortgage-Refinance Plan
Wall Street Journal
By NICK TIMIRAOS President Barack Obama called on Congress during Tuesday's State of the Union address to approve new legislation that would give all homeowners who are current on their mortgages the opportunity to refinance at record low mortgage ...
Will Obama's Mortgage Refinance Plan Be D.O.A.?U.S. News & World Report
Obama proposes mortgage refinance programPolitico (blog)
Obama proposes new mortgage refinance programHousing Wire
Daily Caller
all 314 news articles »


Bloomberg

HARP Refi May Delay PMI Cancellation
NASDAQ
The federal HARP mortgage refinance program can be a huge boon for underwater homeowners. But if you have PMI, there's a little hitch you should know about. While refinancing a mortgage through HARP can cut your interest rate and save you money, ...
New HARP Could Help Up to 6.7 MillionMortgageLoan.com

all 59 news articles »


International Business Times

FOX 11 News Discussion: State of the Union
MyFox Los Angeles
And he aimed a pitch at homeowners, announcing a new mortgage refinance program with "historically low interest rates" that "gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3000 a year on their mortgage." He added, "A small fee on the ...
Winning Words, But Not a WinnerU.S. News & World Report
Obama State of the Union 2012: Mortgage Refinance Changes Face ObstaclesInternational Business Times

all 12,250 news articles »


CBS Local

Six Questions on Obama's Mortgage Refinance Proposal
Wall Street Journal (blog)
By Nick Timiraos President Barack Obama said Tuesday night in his State of the Union address that he would send a plan to Congress to allow all homeowners who are current on their mortgages to refinance. Here's a quick look at the proposal: How is this ...
Obama plan could help refinance Bay Area mortgagesSan Francisco Chronicle

all 19 news articles »


Obama Projects $901 Billion Deficit Next Year With Tax Increases
BusinessWeek
He also would raise $61 billion over 10 years from the largest financial institutions to offset the cost of the Troubled Asset Relief Program and his mortgage refinance plan. The deficit forecast is based on the assumption Congress accepts previous ...

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