Creative Financing

• Q: What is an assumable mortgage?
• Q: Can I split my mortgage in two and pay biweekly?
• Q: What is a two step mortgage?
• Q: Is equity sharing a good idea?
• Q: Are shared equity and shared appreciation mortgages the same?
• Q: Should I consider a 'B', 'C', or 'D' paper loan if I have bad credit?
• Q: What is a balloon mortgage?
• Q: How do growing equity mortgages work?
• Q: What is a wraparound loan?
• Q: Is a reverse mortgage good for elderly homeowners?
• Q: What is a bridge loan?
• Q: What is seller financing?
• Q: What is a lease option?

Credit

• Q: How do lenders define bad credit?
• Q: How do you clear up bad credit?
• Q: How bad is a previous foreclosure on credit?
• Q: How can I protect my home from creditors?

Foreclosures

• Q: If faced with foreclosure, what are my options?
• Q: Can a home be sold for less than its mortgage?
• Q: Will I be able to buy again after losing a home to foreclosure?
• Q: How long do bankruptcies and foreclosure stay on a credit report?

Getting Started

• Q: What is a mortgage and how does it work?
• Q: How do I qualify for a home loan?
• Q: What's the best way to choose a home loan?
• Q: Where can I get a mortgage?
• Q: What does a mortgage broker do?
• Q: What things do lenders view positively and negatively during the application process?
• Q: Why do lenders require a down payment?
• Q: Is it possible to get a no-down payment loan?
• Q: What about low down payment loans?
• Q: Should I put more or less down, if I can afford it?
• Q: Can I make an all-cash purchase instead of getting a mortgage?
• Q: What is the difference between a conforming and non-conforming loan?
• Q: What about the difference between a conventional and non-conventional loan?
• Q: What are conventional loan limits?
• Q: Is it true some lenders grant loans based on very little documentation?
• Q: Are there such things as no-cost and no-fee loans?

Interest Rates

• Q: Are interest rates negotiable?
• Q: Why do most homebuyers prefer a fixed-rate mortgage?
• Q: Which is better, a 15-year or 30-year loan?
• Q: Are 40-year mortgages a good idea?
• Q: Should I lock in the mortgage rate?
• Q: In seller financing, how does the seller determine what rate to provide?

Mortgage Terms

• Q: What is APR?
• Q: What is a loan-to-value ratio?
• Q: What about equity?
• Q: What is private mortgage insurance?
• Q: What is a prepayment penalty?
• Q: What are subprime loans?
• Q: What is amortization and negative amortization?
• Q: What is a second mortgage?
• Q: Is a home equity line of credit similar to a second mortgage?

Other Mortgage Considerations

• Q: Do government programs exist that can help me finance a home?
• Q: Can you tell me more about FHA and VA?
• Q: What are mortgage credit certificates?
• Q: Do builders provide financing?
• Q: Is private mortgage insurance always required on low-down payment loans?
• Q: How can I finance work needed for home repairs?
• Q: What about using an unsecured loan?
• Q: What are the benefits of prepaying my mortgage?
• Q: Do I have to disclose a parent's gift to the lender?

Refinancing

• Q: How does refinancing work?
• Q: When is the best time to refinance?
• Q: Can I refinance a home loan more than once?
• Q: Is it possible to refinance following a bankruptcy?