Credit Traps Snag Consumers
Nearly 20 years ago I worked for a small consumer advocacy organization in Washington, DC. Each week we received sacks full of mail from consumers across the country requesting our list of credit cards with low interest rates and no annual fees. If you wanted a low interest rate on a credit card ... more...

Why a Hard Money Lender Might Be Your First Stop
It isn't uncommon to hear mortgage industry insiders refer to hard money lenders as a last resort. While this may be true to the extent that many borrowers who solicit loans from hard money lenders do so as a last resort, there are many cases in which a hard money lender may be sought before a ... more...

How to Explain Derogatory Credit
As part of the loan process, your borrower may be required to provide an explanation for derogatory credit such as late payments, bankruptcy, or judgments. This is a very important step and may make the difference in the loan program and interest rate that your borrower is approved for. While some ... more...

Do You Need to Have Mortgage Insurance?
You will have to have mortgage insurance if you fail to come up with a down payment that is at least 20 percent of the sale price of the home you wish to buy. This insurance can be called by several different names such as private mortgage insurance or even simply PMI. It is called these in order ... more...

Mortgage Costs and How to Reduce Them
Few people will ever pay more for anything than they do for their home. The prices of housing are continually escalating; the median price of a house in the United States is now more than $215,000. Adding to the expense is the mortgage interest. Over the life of the loan, most homeowners will ... more...

Helpful Hints for First-Time Home Buyers
Buying a house can be a daunting task, even for someone who has owned several homes. My husband and I recently purchased our first home together, and it was hard to find good advice that we truly found useful. We had to learn a lot on our own, but at least now we feel comfortable and knowledgeable ... more...

What is a Foreclosure?
A foreclosure is an action taken against a property owner by seizure of his/her real property. It can be for many reasons. The main cause is delinquent payments on a mortgage. The mortgage company or second and even third mortgage holders contact the owner, then the trustee (usually an attorney) to ... more...

What is the Difference Between an Unsecured Personal Loan and a Secured Personal Loan?
This is a common question that many consumers have. Many people do not realize that there are even different types of personal loans. Each type of personal loan, secured and unsecured, have different requirements.We will look at the requirements for a secured personal loan first. The name secured ... more...

Credit and Loan Help for Mortgage Loans
Mortgage loans are some of the most difficult loans to receive if you have bad credit because lenders focus heavily on your credit score and history of making payments on time. However, there is credit and loan help for individuals interested in home mortgage loans.There are many online resources ... more...