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Mortgage Lenders: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
from:It’s quite true that today’s mortgage lenders come in all varieties. The mortgage fallout of the foreclosure scandals have some people doing a double take on their lenders, both when they are buying and since they have bought. Countrywide remains as one of the ugliest mortgage lenders of the housing bust, so much so that the FBI is now investigating their lending practices for evidence of fraud. There are still good lenders out there, but it pays to scrutinize any loan offer you are signing so that you don’t get caught in perilous lending practices that can put your home on the auction block.
How to Protect Yourself
If you have a loan that is currently under any mortgage lenders under investigation, it doesn’t mean you can’t refinance with someone else. You also want to steer clear of mortgage companies that may be going bankrupt as this can block the closing of the house sale at the last minute. You want to work with a reputable lender who isn’t in financial straits, to make sure you are not faced with a lender pulling out right before the papers are signed.
Get several offers from a variety of mortgage lenders, so that you know exactly what to expect. If your realtor or builder tries to get you to sign with one lender only, then this may be a tactic to keep you uniformed. The more offers you review, the more knowledgeable about what is a good offer for your particular financial situation.
Do your own homework. Don’t expect realtors or mortgage lenders to have your best interest at heart. You need to understand the terms of the loan as clearly as possible. If you don’t, you can always attend local homeownership courses at your local community college or through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Never sign anything you don’t understand, especially if you are being pressured to do so within a short timeframe.
Never lie on your loan documents and avoid lenders that encourage you to fudge the numbers. This is an indication that you can’t afford a particular home and fudging the numbers is not likely to help you in the long run. It will, however, help the mortgage broker who makes a commission on preparing the loan documents. So, stick to the guidelines and try to stay within budget.
Avoid lenders that offer to fill in the blanks for you, just allowing you to sign on the bottom line. This can also be a practice of fraudulent “home ownership counseling” programs that make a commission on house sales in a particular area. Again, you should be the most informed consumer on how you will manage the debt of a home mortgage, not your lenders, your real estate agent, or even a counseling program.
Fixed Rate Mortgage Specific links
Fixed Rate Mortgage News
PRESS RELEASE: Freddie Mac Says Historic Lows For Fixed Mortgage Rates Hold Steady - Wall Street Journal
 CBS Moneywatch | PRESS RELEASE: Freddie Mac Says Historic Lows For Fixed Mortgage Rates Hold Steady Wall Street Journal McLEAN, VA -- Freddie Mac (OTC: FMCC) today released the results of its Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), showing the record lows for average fixed mortgage rates holding steady for the week. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage ticked slightly ... Historic Lows for Fixed Mortgage Rates Hold Steady Historic Lows Hold Steady for Fixed- Rate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Remain At Record Lows |
Rates are Great, Home Prices Less Filling - Fox Business
 Eastern Morning Herald | Rates are Great, Home Prices Less Filling Fox Business By Polyana da Costa Mortgage rates stayed near all-time lows this week, as the housing market showed signs of life and sent potential homebuyers a message: If you want to buy low, it doesn't get any better than this. The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate ... Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Hold at Record Lows Today's Mortgage Rates: Bank of America, Chase and Citibank Refinance Rates ... Mortgage rates slide to record lows |
HSH.com Weekly Mortgage Rates Radar: Fixed Mortgage Rates at New Record Low Again - San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
 e-wisdom.com | HSH.com Weekly Mortgage Rates Radar: Fixed Mortgage Rates at New Record Low Again San Francisco Chronicle (press release) HSH.com releases its latest Weekly Mortgage Rates Radar showing a downward drift in fixed mortgage rates from the previous week. The Weekly Mortgage Rates Radar reports the average rates and points offered by lenders for the two most popular types of ... Time to Refinance While Mortgage Rates are So Low Fixed Rate Mortgages in U.S. Hit Record Lows, Again 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Rises Slightly After Falling to All-Time Low Last ... |
30-Year Mortgage Rate Hits Another Record Low - KTVZ
30-Year Mortgage Rate Hits Another Record Low KTVZ NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Buying a home got even cheaper this week as interest rates on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage set a record low for the fourth week in a row. The 30-year fixed mortgage, the most popular mortgage product, dipped slightly to 3.78 ... |
LendingTree Analysis Indicates Greater Savings with Adjustable-Rate Mortgages ... - MarketWatch (press release)
LendingTree Analysis Indicates Greater Savings with Adjustable-Rate Mortgages ... MarketWatch (press release) "Given the speed and the magnitude by which ARM rates have declined, adjustable-rate mortgages are proving to be a more valuable 'risk adjusted' alternative than a traditional fixed-rate mortgage," said Doug Lebda, LendingTree founder and CEO. |