Mortgage Rip-offs and Money Savers reveals how the mortgage industry cheats borrowers out of billions in extra costs every year. Mortgage industry insider Carolyn Warren taps her decade of experience with lenders to expose the tricks, lies, and dirty little secrets they don't want you to know. With her expert guidance, borrowers will save tens of thousands when they avoid the traps so many consumers fall into. Having this inside information is the only way borrowers can truly get the best possible deal. This book presents that knowledge in an interesting and easy format that anyone can understand. Readers won't be victims of the mortgage industry with this invaluable resource in hand. Instead, they'll get the best possible rates, avoid bogus fees, and get the great deal they deserve.

Author: Carolyn Warren
Paperback:  256 pages
Company: Wiley  (2007-05-04)
ISBN: 0470097833
List Price: $17.95
Amazon Price: $9.89
Used Price: $9.59

With more people than ever before applying for new loans and refinancing, an easy-to-understand guide has become a necessity for anyone confused by the complicated issues at stake. Mortgages 101 answers all the questions readers typically have, detailing all the latest changes in mortgage processes, and showing readers how to save money by:* understanding important terms like ARMs and Hybrids -- and what's in the fine print * improving their credit scores to increase their borrowing power* using technology to get the lowest interest rates* maximizing their return on investment, and cutting the cost of mortgage insuranceArranged in an easily accessible question-and-answer format, the book provides up-to-date lending formulas, as well as important information on lending requirements and application procedures. Mortgages 101 contains all the information readers need to know, in one must-have reference.

Author: David Reed
Paperback:  288 pages
Company: AMACOM  (2004-09-06)
ISBN: 0814472451
List Price: $16.95
Amazon Price: $8.94
Used Price: $5.79

The procedure of buying a home can be a scary experience. There are a lot of people to deal with, from realtors to attorneys to bankers. There's tons of paperwork with terms and vocabulary that read like a foreign language. In this new book you will find vital information and great strategies that will allow you to find your dream home faster and feel confident about the purchase. You will learn to avoid some of the most prevalent—and potentially dangerous and expensive—mistakes made by first-time home buyers.

According to Money Magazine, "Over the past five years, home values nationally have risen 65 percent while the stock market has fallen." Now is the time to get into the real estate marketplace. With the help of this comprehensive new guide, you will learn how to find the best opportunities, negotiating, financing, budgets, needs and wants, credit reports, home-buying timeline, the process of building a house, manufactured homes, real estate and mortgage glossaries, setting values, home warranties, homeowners insurance, creative financing, buying with little or no money down, closing, moving plans, walk-throughs, closing and settlement inspections, legal contracts, mortgages, what you can afford, deciding which neighborhood to choose, hiring a realtor, which government agencies can help, considerations for veterans, IRA use, hiring an attorney, the offer, calculating monthly payments, and escrow.

This comprehensive resource contains a wealth of modern tips and strategies for financing and closing on a property. The author shows readers how to find out how much they're really worth, how to uncover unknown assets, and how to enhance credit ratings within six months, provides information and suggestions on everything from no-down-payment mortgages to finding the right agent. It leads you down the path to home ownership, one step at a time. Though you may be relatively cash-poor or have a less-than-perfect credit rating, you can acquire a mortgage and find the house you've always wanted.

Paperback:  288 pages
Company: Atlantic Publishing Company  (2006-09-12)
ISBN: 0910627703
List Price: $21.95
Amazon Price: $13.20
Used Price: $10.79

The most complete guide to buying a home in the Golden State

A thorough, practical guide to every aspect of buying a house, How to Buy a House in California will help you make informed decisions that can save you thousands of dollars. With this bestseller in hand, you'll learn how to:

choose a house and neighborhood

find the right agent

get the most up-to-date information on mortgage options and rates

take advantage of creative financing strategies - from

seller financing to government loans

figure out how much down payment you can afford

make an offer and negotiate with confidence for the best price

buy a new house in a development

inspect a house for physical problems and environmental hazards

juggle buying and selling houses simultaneously

successfully go through escrow

The 11th edition is completely updated and provides an easy method for calculating how much house you can afford. Plus, you'll find the current rules for government-assisted loans and the latest resources.

List of Forms:
Ideal House Profile
House Priorities Worksheet
House Comparison Worksheet
Family Financial Statement
Directions for Completing the Family Financial Statement

Author: Ralph E. Warner, Ira Serkes, George Devine
Paperback:  413 pages
Company: NOLO  (2007-03-30)
ISBN: 1413304036
List Price: $34.99
Amazon Price: $19.85
Used Price: $17.00

Save your home, keep your equity, and re-establish your credit!

If you can’t make your house payments or you received a notice of default or foreclosure from your lender, you are running out of precious time. If you don’t act soon, you will lose your home and all the equity you have in it.

Most people facing foreclosure mistakenly believe that they have only two options: pay up or get out. But that is simply not true, as the authors of Foreclosure Self-Defense For Dummies will tell you. In this book, the authors reveal over a dozen options for saving your home or getting out from under it, including:

• File for bankruptcy
• Reinstate the mortgage (by catching up on missed payments)
• Negotiate a forbearance
• Refinance your way out of trouble
• Sell to an investor and buy it back
• Negotiate a short sale (convince the lender to accept less than you owe)
• Redeem your home after the auction (buy it back from the high bidder)
• Sell the home yourself (to reclaim more of your equity)
• Walk away . . . without having to throw good money after bad
• Offer a deed in lieu of foreclosure
• Stall . . . through the courts and other delays

If you or someone you know is facing foreclosure, this no-nonsense guide helps size up all the options and increases the chances of saving the home. You'll see how to delay foreclosure, form a plan of attack, negotiate solutions with your lender, and restore your financial health. Discover field-tested strategies for dodging the foreclosure trap or getting out from under a house you really can't afford.

Author: Ralph R. Roberts, Lois Maljak, Paul Doroh
Paperback:  360 pages
Company: For Dummies  (2008-02-11)
ISBN: 0470251530
List Price: $19.99
Amazon Price: $10.50
Used Price: $9.04

Break into the brokerage business.

Here is a step-by-step handbook to joining this elite group. Written by an accomplished mortgage broker with more than 15 years in the business and 2,000 deals to his credit, this book covers everything from whether or not real estate financing is the right career move to how to master the skills necessary to be successful.
• Overview of a day in the life of a mortgage broker—including the pros and cons of the career
• A self-test to help readers determine if the brokerage business is right for them
• Licensing and educational requirements, advice on successful networking, and basic mortgage information
• In 2004, there were over $3.8 trillion in mortgage originations nationwide—an all-time record— according to The Mortgage Bankers Association

Author: Daniel S. Kahn, Marian Edelman Borden
Paperback:  352 pages
Company: Alpha  (2006-06-06)
ISBN: 1592575102
List Price: $19.95
Amazon Price: $11.69
Used Price: $11.41

The origins of the word "mortgage" are Old French and translate roughly to "death pledge." Rob Roy takes a radical approach here to help the reader understand how mortgages work; explains clearly how, if you have a mortgage already, you can maximize your equity sooner and save tons of money; and how, if just starting the process of acquiring a home for yourself, there are clear alternatives to a standard bank mortgage that will save you massive amounts of money, time, and financial headaches.

Roy covers the following subjects in detail: the grubstake--the essential financial asset that will stay with you for life; how to find land that you love and can afford; how to seize control of the house-building process; how to clarify and simplify your ideas of what you really need; and how to construct a low-cost home. Included in the book is Roy's own personal story of mortgage-free living, as well as those of others. His wry humor makes for an entertaining read, and his ideas, examples, and advice are clear-headed, logical, and hopeful. His financial calculations and charts are clear and imminently sensible while being real eye-openers. Your banker may not want you to read this radical book, but it amounts to a guided, rational plan for home ownership and financial liberation, and will no doubt soon be considered a classic. --Mark A. Hetts

Author: Robert L. Roy
Paperback:  368 pages
Company: Chelsea Green  (1998-06-01)
ISBN: 0930031989
List Price: $30.00
Amazon Price: $17.95
Used Price: $9.70

This may be the best comprehensive guide for home buyers. Home Buying for Dummies is coauthored by Eric Tyson, author of several other books in the For Dummies series, and Ray Brown, a long-time real estate professional. Like other books in the series, this one is an easy and even entertaining read. But it does not gloss over details in pursuit of simplicity. Home Buying for Dummies covers all the bases, providing clear explanations and reasonable judgments on how to select a mortgage, hire a real estate agent, find the right house, and negotiate a good deal. The book goes further than most in providing helpful, specific information. For example, in discussing ways to save money for a future down payment, Home Buying for Dummies even includes the phone numbers for various mutual funds appropriate to different investment time frames. --Barry Mitzman

Author: Eric Tyson, Ray Brown
Paperback:  408 pages
Company: Wiley  (2006-02-06)
ISBN: 0471768472
List Price: $21.99
Amazon Price: $8.99
Used Price: $7.80

FIGHT BACK!

With a Take-Charge Strategy for At-Risk Homeowners

Millions of homeowners are at risk of losing their homes. Are you one of them? If so, you need this practical, step-by-step guide to help you take action before it's too late.

In Fight Foreclosure!, David Petrovich offers honest advice on all of your options, weighs the pros and cons of each, and shares smart, practical strategies for lowering your payments and keeping your home. He points out the too-good-to-be-true foreclosure rescue offers you should avoid, and offers real alternatives that work—now!

Petrovich is a mortgage banking insider who understands the loan servicing industry inside and out. And he understands the pressure you're under. Don't worry! You're not alone. Inside, you'll find the calm, professional advice you need to manage your financial crisis, including topics such as:

• The foreclosure time-clock—why acting early is critical

• Handling collection calls

• Cutting expenses and rebuilding your budget

• Negotiating with your lender

• Utilizing all your legal defenses

• Using bankruptcy to save your home

• Selling your home to avoid foreclosure while saving your credit

• Finding legitimate help and avoiding rescue scams

Author: David Petrovich
Paperback:  240 pages
Company: Wiley  (2008-03-14)
ISBN: 047026764X
List Price: $19.95
Amazon Price: $9.95
Used Price: $8.98

For many of us, the single biggest financial transaction is buying a house. Even more significant than the hefty down payment we fork over is the 15- to 30-year mortgage that needs feeding every month. If you have this much at stake, a little knowledge can go a long way, which is where Eric Tyson and Ray Brown come in. In Mortgages for Dummies, Tyson and Brown (who also wrote Home Buying for Dummies and House Selling for Dummies) provide a comprehensive introduction for anyone who is contemplating a mortgage. The book tells you how to evaluate your creditworthiness, determine your borrowing power, and shop for a lender, as well as covering the various types of loans. The authors also devote a section to refinancing and discuss what you should consider when prepaying a loan. They include amortization and remaining-balance tables, and a useful glossary. Whether you're a first-time home buyer or are just looking to refinance, you'll find this a valuable, easy-to-use guide. --Harry C. Edwards

Author: Eric Tyson, Ray Brown
Paperback:  312 pages
Company: For Dummies  (2004-08-27)
ISBN: 0764571923
List Price: $16.99
Amazon Price: $3.90
Used Price: $3.50