Home Equity Loan Improvements
There's more Regulation Z compliance on the way, courtesy of the Home Equity Loan Consumer Protection Act. This fall banks will have to implement the new home equity loan disclosure rules the Federal Reserve Board was required to issue under the act.The Federal Reserve released the final version of ... more...

Rebuilding After Katrina: Smart Energy Choices
Energy efficiency has been part of the American lexicon since 1978 when the Energy Policy Act was first enacted. Since then, energy efficient homes and increased use of renewable energy resources have become the norm in states like New York and California. Policies and programs have supported these ... more...

RESPA: The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is a consumer protection statute, first passed in 1974. One of its purposes is to help consumers become better shoppers for settlement services. Another purpose is to eliminate kickbacks and referral fees that increase unnecessarily the costs of ... more...

Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle!
Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle! (Part 1 of 2 on Credit Scoring)Just when most people finish with school and can stop worrying about test scores, theres a new kind of scoring that enters the picture. Its called credit scoring. And, its impact on your financial future can mean more to ... more...

Get Your Credit Score To Soar In The Twinkling of An Eye
Ever wonder how a creditor decides whether to grant you credit? For years, creditors have been using credit scoring systems to determine if you'd be a good risk for credit cards and auto loans. More recently, credit scoring has been used to help creditors evaluate your ability to repay home ... more...

"How Much Interest is Your Home Equity Earning?"
How much interest are you earning on your home equity? If you answered nothing, zero, zilch, zip you are correct. What would you do if you could get triple compounding on your equity? Would you take action and build a fortune that would allow you to pay off the mortgage and create a retirement ... more...

Credit Scores and Loan Applications
Keep Your Credit History Clean - Remove A Negative Credit Record From Your Credit ReportIt can make a difference of up to 18% in loan repayment costs. For example, on a 30-year, $150,000 fixed rate mortgage, a borrower with the best credit score, 760-850, will pay 5.59%, or $860 per month, while ... more...

Mortgage Glossary - A Glossary of Mortgage Terms You Should Know
Acceleration Clause A clause in a mortgage defining that the entire outstanding balance can become due and payable should mortgage default occur. If the entire balance is not paid, the property will be foreclosed.Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Mortgage with interest rates that may be adjusted by ... more...