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Dating Relationship Expert
2008-05-14 08:12:00
Have you tried match-making services before? Well, my wife told me she tried it but wasn't successful, else we wouldn't have married. Recently, she mentioned a close friend of hers who is single and looking hard for a marriage partner and whether I have any friends to recommend.I told her I am not a dating expert and affairs of the heart cannot be forced. There must be some chemistry for two people to hit it off; rather than depend on parents or friends to forge a relationship, it is better to find someone who you understand intimately. The first step is to widen your circle of friends by joining communities.Nowadays, it is easy to date with the abundance of online dating services. Technology advances open up new avenues of social networking. In fact, some of my friends have tied the knot after a period of online dating. Sounds wonderful but of course, there are unhappy cases where online dating has caused broken hearts and depressed souls.That is why I think this site is useful....
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Home Repossession To Double
2008-05-08 11:43:00
The number of people who are losing their homes because they cannot meet rising mortgage bills is set to double this year, experts said yesterday.Dearer mortgage costs in the log-jammed home loans market were blamed for a rise of almost 20 per cent over the past year in court orders allowing lenders to seize properties. The number of repossession orders granted in England and Wales in the first three months of the year climbed to levels not seen since the early 1990s, reaching 27,530.That was up by 17 per cent on a year earlier, and by 9 per cent since the final quarter of last year alone. In a further sign of the growing financial distress, the number of new court actions started by lenders seeking repossession also leapt sharply. It rose to 38,688 in the first three months of the year, up by 16 per cent on a year ago, and by 7 per cent on the previous quarter.The news will spark fears that a new wave of repossessions this year will aggravate rapidly worsening conditions in the h...
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Citigroup Shedding $500 Billion In Assets
2008-05-05 11:46:00
Citigroup Inc. said Friday it aims to shed about $500 billion in assets and grow revenue by 9 percent over the next few years, as it tries to rebound from massive losses tied to deterioration in the mortgage and credit markets.The plans are the most concrete yet by Vikram Pandit, nearing his five-month anniversary as the bank's CEO, to prove himself a capable turnaround specialist at a company that many claim was struggling long before the housing market collapse.The bank's plans to wind down its $2.2 trillion in assets to approximately $1.7 trillion were part of an investor day presentation at one of Citigroup's Manhattan offices.
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Money Laundering in Residential Real Estate
2008-05-02 11:48:00
In contrast to criminals seeking to profit by committing mortgage fraud, those who seek to launder money through residential real estate generally intend to make timely payments and seek to make their transactions appear as unremarkable as possible in order to disguise the source of their funds.Laundering money through residential real estate involves turning the proceeds of crime into the use or ownership of real property assets. For example, a criminal may use illicit funds to outright purchase or to make monthly rental payments on real property.Internationally, these laundering techniques are well known and have been described in the Egmont Group publication, FIU’s [Financial Intelligence Units] in Action, 100 cases from the Egmont Group, and are often referred to in various reports on methods and typologies published by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). FinCEN’s report shows that U.S. financial institutions have been able to identify some possible instances of money la...
More About: Residential , Estate , Money , Real Estate , Real

Welcome Financial Expert - Paul McMann
2008-04-28 02:33:00
Who is Paul McMann? I have no idea but when I heard someone mentioning his name as a consultant, I decided to do a bit of research.I found that his distinguished career involves many fields but he is best known for his work in real estate. From a humble sales representative to being a college professor teaching finance to starting his own real estate development company, Paul McMann always merges his personal passion with his keen business sense.As a Blue Coast financial advisor, he had worked with all types of businesses. McMann is well versed in energy deregulation laws that are being enforced across the country, giving businesses the opportunity to choose a more cost-efficient and reliable energy partner. He audits Worker’s Compensation premiums and analyzes the data to find ways to save companies money being lost to policy errors and miscalculations.Do not underestimate his service, as gas and electricity rates continue to rise, heavy energy users can expect to pay more than d...
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Mortgage Crisis Must Be Solved To Avoid Property Crash
2008-04-23 17:17:00
A report by property website, Rightmove, warns if the mortgage meltdown is not stopped, falling property prices could result in a crash.Traditionally, March and April are good months to sell your property as it is a time when the market improves and prospective buyers go house-hunting.However, according to Rightmove, a vast amount of properties are being put up for sale but buyers are not materialising. Those lucky enough to find a buyer are having to waiting longer than before.Over the weekend, the Bank of England announced details of a £50 billion plan to help prevent the credit crisis causing more damage to the UK banking system and economy.Mervyn King, the bank’s governor, said the scheme is aimed to improve liquidity in the banking system.Rightmove said the mortgage crisis could have a devastating effect on the UK housing market if the Bank of England’s £50 billion emergency rescue plan does not work.Miles Shipside of Rightmove said an ongoing lack of mortgage funds could...
More About: Property , Mortgage , Crash , Crisis , Avoid

3GB Social Network Is Fun
2008-04-20 16:45:00
I have been hooked on social communities a year back. I get to renew friendships, meet strangers who later become close friends, share ideas and thoughts on the latest topics, etc.Over the last few weeks, I have seen many bloggers building a buzz about the 3GB community. I figure they will be the next biggest talk of the town, I just got to take a closer look at this site considering most of my friends have signed up already.The home page isn’t nearly as cluttered as most other social networking sites, which is nice. Like other sites, you can share photo albums and make blog posts but what is special is their radio station where you can listen to MP3s of your favorite artistes. You can also live chat with friends.They have a special focus on arabic community and I think this is smart as they made up a substantial number on the net these days. There is less than 500 members at the moment and plenty of room for growth. If you like, then join 3gb community today to see if you like th...
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Meltdown of Fannie and Freddie
2008-04-15 16:50:00
Among the nightmares lurking around the corner for the already battered housing and credit markets would be a meltdown at mortgage financing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.Fannie and Freddie primarily back so-called conforming loans, those made to borrowers with good credit and large down payments. It is crucial for the mortgage industry that the two agencies continue to function smoothly. The two companies are known as government-sponsored entities because they have Congressional charters, which implies that the federal government is behind them.Although few are predicting an imminent need for a bailout, Standard & Poor's recently placed an estimated price tag on this worst case scenario -- $420 billion to $1.1 trillion of taxpayer's money. This dwarfs how much it cost to help banks during the savings and loan crisis of the late 1980's and early 1990's. That cost taxpayers about $250 billion in today's dollars.S&P added that saving Fannie and Freddie might cost so m...

Understanding Mortgage Fees
2008-04-10 16:59:00
Looking to get a mortgage or refinance an existing one? If you have the credit score to make it work, you should have no problem finding people who want your business. The trick is deciding who should get it.For a start, you look carefully at the fees the mortgage broker or lender plans to charge. A reasonable markup is 1, 1 ½ percent for the typical mortgage of $250,000 and above. And beware of admin fees, doc-prep fees, processing fees.Determining how much you're paying in fees -- upfront or rolled into the interest rate -- isn't easy. But it's worth your time to hunt, negotiate and compare deals from both lenders and brokers. Everything is negotiable. Credit report, appraisal, what are called 'junk' or 'garbage' fees, origination fees.Look at all the lines in the 800 "block" of the good-faith estimate to see how fees under various names add up. Also find the "yield spread premium," often listed as "YSP POC," to see how much that will cost you.A yield spread premium refers...
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FBI Targets Insiders in Mortgage Fraud
2008-04-05 14:01:00
The FBI is targeting major corporate insiders and criminal groups in its investigation of fraud in the mortgage lending industry."We continue to work to identify large-scale industry insiders and criminal enterprises engaged in systemic economic fraud," agency chief Mueller told a House of Representatives Appropriations subcommittee hearing.He did not name any specific targets, but agency officials have previously said corporate employees ranging from senior executives to lower ranks were likely targets in the investigation. The agency has said it was investigating 17 companies in mortgage cases, and there are more 1,300 total pending mortgage fraud investigations. There have not been any signs of that traditional organized crime groups were involved in mortgage fraud, officials have said. The collapse of the U.S. housing finance industry which has spread widely through the global financial markets and fueled growing allegations of fraud. The FBI on Monday unveiled a new W...
More About: Fraud , Mortgage Fraud , Mortgage , Insiders

Socially Conscious Credit Cards
2008-04-02 14:48:00
Credit cards can fulfill your material needs but it can be a dangerous tool too. The main thing is not to let credit cards rule your life. Recently, credit card issuers introduced new socially conscious credit cards. As the name implies, it is to encourage consumers to have more responsible spending habits.Some of the features of the card include zero annual fee and low rates on purchases. The rewards you can earn using this card will never expire and you are sure to get 5000 points for your first purchase. What can you do with the reward points?A lot, it seems. You can get a five-day Caribbean tour and have a magnificent rest at the beaches of Costa Rica. Or redeem your bonus points for a memorable trip to Greece. For ethical cardholders, this credit card allows them to donate money to various non-profit organizations. The plastic is issued in eight designs, depending on your preferences, choose either Peace or Noble Truth. Carrying a plastic that suits your lifestyle will help you...
More About: Credit Cards , Credit , Cards

Mortgage Applications Rises For First Quarter 2008
2008-03-29 12:32:00
Home-loan data indicate lower interest rates continued to push mortgage applications up. From the Mortgage Bankers Association index of home-loan application volume, it shows seasonally adjusted index jumped 48.1 percent to 965.9 for the week ended March 21.Borrowers took advantage of lower rates to refinance their home loans. Refinancing applications led the boom, growing 82.2 percent, while purchase applications increased by 10.6 percent. "The increase in activity is yet another sign that lower interest rates could play a key role in helping the housing market find a bottom," wrote David Resler, chief economist with Nomura Securities. Freddie Mac, the mortgage company, said last Thursday that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell to an average of 5.85 percent nationwide from 5.87 percent a week earlier, the second-straight week in which mortgage rates were below 6 percent. The mortgage bankers' index, which stood at 100 at its onset in March 1990, is derived from a ...
More About: Applications , Quarter , 2008

Mortgage Rates Still In A Slump
2008-03-26 12:18:00
Mortgage rates took a roller-coaster ride for the first three months of 2008. With a slowing economy and a real estate industry in distress, it could take another six months to a year for rates to settle.The mortgage industry has gotten more conservative and 100 percent financing options are going away. The requirement is now at at least 20 percent down and it might get tougher.In the first 90 days of the year, rates fluctuated from a low of 5.48 on Jan. 24 to a high of 6.24 percent just five weeks later, according to Freddie Mac's primary mortgage market survey.Short term rates may have stabilized but for the first three months of this year, mortgage rates were the most volatile we've seen in years."
More About: Mortgage , Rates , Slump

Gateway Operator For Your Homes
2008-03-24 01:04:00
If you are an investor and have brought several properties for rental, have you considered the impact of improved security on your rental yields?For ladies or professionals who have the budget, a landlord who cares about security can impress them and they are more willing to sign long leases and accept your gradual increases of rent. Researching on the internet reveals many security specialists, Access Control Distributors of Texas is one of them.Their track record is good, for over twenty years, they have provided contractors and DIYers with quality products. Customer service is excellent too. If you are an international client, their world-wide sales and support for all access control systems will help you out.I am actually interested in their Liftmaster range of products. They are considered the leaders in remote residential and commercial garage door openers, in terms of safety, quality and security.I will do a more detailed analysis bet...
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Strategies For Buyers In A Depressed Market - Part 2
2008-03-21 17:47:00
Pick allies carefullyYou can often hire an agent who works exclusively on your behalf. Typically, these buyer's brokers earn a 3% commission, usually paid by the seller (though if you buy from a seller using a discount broker, you may have to make up the difference).Keep in mind that buyer's brokers, who theoretically work just for you, may have a financial incentive to push certain homes. In some markets builders and even individual sellers are offering higher-than-usual commissions to buyer's brokers, which can tempt your pro to skimp on negotiations or steer you to more costly houses.Hire a broker who will work for a set fee or will sign a contract stipulating that his or her cut will be the same for any home you buy.Wield your power If you see a house you like, chances are you can find another one that is similar. Exploit that advantage. Make demands you never would have dared ask for in crazier times, such as requiring the seller to make repairs or the builder to throw in fr...
More About: Market , Strategies , Part , Buyers , Depressed

Strategies For Buyers In A Depressed Market
2008-03-18 17:43:00
Free yourself to act fast Buying may be easy, but selling isn't, so you have to guard against getting stuck with two mortgages. The best way to avoid that trap is simply to sell first. Hold off on house hunting until they had a sales contract on their condo, otherwise you may find something you like and not be able to sell your house.Another option is to include a contingency clause in your purchase contract, which lets you exit the deal on your new home if you can't sell your old one. When you signed a contract to buy a newly built house, add in a clause to bail out if your home didn't sell by the time the new house was finished.You may lose a few hundred dollars but no other commitments. Know how strong you are The longer a house has been for sale, the more powerful your position as a bidder. Time on market is a good indication that someone is likely to be really hungry.If you're browsing a public multiple-listing service, don't trust the date of that listing; sellers can gam...
More About: Market , Strategies , Buyers , Depressed

Start By Shoring Up Your Credit.
2008-03-15 16:53:00
Since you most likely will need to get a mortgage to buy a house, you must make sure your credit history is as clean as possible. A few months before you start house hunting, get copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you discover.The rule of thumb is that you can buy housing that runs about two-and-one-half times your annual salary. But you'll do better to use one of many calculators available online to get a better handle on how your income, debts, and expenses affect what you can afford.You also need to commit yourself to staying in a place for at least a year, else owning is probably not for you. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner.
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Promote Your Blog Using Buzzfuse
2008-03-12 01:03:00
If you have a blog or website, you must have struggled hard to drive traffic to the website. "If you build it, they will come," nothing is further from the truth. In fact, driving traffic is driving me crazy. What is the proper steps to do it?While surfing the web, I came across Buzzfuse.com which I think is a great place to start. Not only can you learn how to drive traffic to your blog or website you can also have them market your pictures, songs, etc.Buzzfuse.com is a wonderful deviation from the other popular social social media sites such as Blinklist, Del.icio.us, Digg, Fark, Furl, Ma.gnolia, Newsvine, Reddit, Simpy, Stumbleupon, Tailrank, and Technorati. You market your product and earn some side money. Finally, someone appreciates content creators- Buzzfuse. Buzzfuse pays you money (premium subscribers only) based on the performance of each item. You submit content which creates a huge buzz, score high and get into the daily top 10. The potential for a good creator is to mak...
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Understanding Your Mortgage Rate
2008-03-08 15:25:00
Fears of recession have the stock market reeling. But for homeowners with adjustable-rate mortgages, recent talk about possible cuts in interest rates is sparking celebrations. There's a catch, though. Different mortgages peg the rates they charge to different interest benchmarks. And while some interest rates have already gone down, others are still rising. The idea behind adjustable-rate mortgages is simple. Unlike fixed mortgages, in which you have a guaranteed interest rate throughout the life of the loan, rates on ARMs move up and down from time to time. Lenders often offer incentives to borrowers to take out ARMs by offering low "teaser" rates that may increase after a short time.For borrowers, that's fine as long as interest rates go down or stay the same. But when interest rates rise -- as they have over the past several years -- resetting ARM rates lead to much higher monthly payments. And with many homeowners up against the wall financially, the question is how quickly f...
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China - The New Internet
2008-03-05 14:23:00
Investment lessons seem as timely as ever (and we're not talking about the burst housing bubble).It is about investing in China . The Chinese government was concerned enough to triple the tax on stock trades over the summer. This was supposed to be a move "aimed at braking what many business executives and economists inside and outside China now see as a stock market bubble."The Chinese index was up 130% last year, and another 80% year-to-date. According to data from Bloomberg, the CSI 300 trades for 52 times earnings -- compared to just 17 times earnings for the S&P 500!Also according to Bloomberg, "Chinese investors have opened 33 million trading accounts this year, six times the total for 2006."Not even a decade later, investors assume that picking the right place to invest trumps picking the right companies to invest in. While "buying China" is a sucker's bet, there are more than a handful of attractive opportunities in China.One way to find them is by using bottoms-up...
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Staying In Riga Apartments
2008-03-02 14:35:00
With the recent stock market and housing slump, getting a holiday is in order. No point checking out the screen everyday only to be more stressed out.My family have not traveled for a while and nothing makes my wife happier than going for a holiday, no matter how short the trip. She loves to explore and yes, to shop in a new environment.As budget is a constraint, I have checked out Riga , a East European holiday destination. According to this site, there are many interesting tourist spots, like the Lido Center (one of the most beautiful log buildings in Europe), paintball expeditions, clay pigeon shooting, karting and winter bobsleigh run.So many places to visit, but it is worth it as they are all priced attractively. I have usually stayed in hotels but this time, I will try the apartments for rent in riga since I am quite happy with the photos I saw on the site.To give you an idea of the quality of housing available, one particular apartment is a water-front building, about 40 m²...
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Michael Jackson No Money To Pay Mortgages
2008-03-01 11:59:00
Michael Jackson s financial condition seems to have worsened, for the public documents have revealed that the singer has failed to pay mortgage for his Los Angeles home.According to the documents, the 49-year-old singer has failed to pay 153,000 dollars on the Encino property to mortgage lender Indymac Bancorp, as part of his 4 million dollars loan. The papers filed with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office dated Feb. 7 revealed that the Pasadena-based company originally issued a notice of default to Jackson, but then vacated it, reports E! Online.The singing icon is already facing crisis following his 24.5 million dollars loan for his Neverland Ranch, which he failed to pay. As a result, Financial Title Co., a San Francisco-based lender, has announced plans to sell the residence/amusement park at public auction on Mar. 19.However, Jackson’s reps were not available for comment
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Treasury Secretary Against Mortgage Bailouts
2008-02-28 13:07:00
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson turned up the heat on borrowers and lenders who might be expecting a blanket government bailout from the current downturn in housing prices. Speaking to the Economic Club of Chicago late Thursday, Paulson said less than 2 percent of home mortgages are in foreclosure. "So, while some in Washington are proposing big interventions, most of the proposals I've seen would do more harm than good," he said in remarks distributed before the speech. "I'm not interested in bailing out investors, lenders and speculators. I'm focusing on solutions targeted ...
More About: Mortgage , Treasury

Having Troubles Selling Your Homes?
2008-02-25 13:11:00
Even though you might be one of the lucky ones who find a buyer, it pays to be prepared for the worst. If you're having trouble selling your property, here are a few things you may be able to consider. 1. UpkeepIf it's been a while since you took care of some regular maintenance on your house, find out how much it would cost to get the work done before you sell. With a glut of homes on the market, demand for fixer-uppers can drop -- if there are other houses for sale in your neighborhood that are in better shape, you'll have to set your sale price appropriately. And even then, some buyers will either demand additional concessions or simply be unwilling to consider a house in need of repair. 2. RenovationsFor older homes, you might want to consider adding more modern features that prospective homebuyers will want. While there are many ways to spruce up your home, you have to be careful not to spend money that won't help your resale value.According to Remodeling Online, putti...
More About: Selling , Homes

A Good Time To Buy Into Reits?
2008-02-20 13:56:00
When everyone's hyping an investment, it's a good idea to stay clear. But after the hysteria ends and everyone moves on to the next big thing, smart investors will check out the wreckage to look for bargains.Real estate investment trusts (REIT) certainly qualify as a once-hyped investment that has fallen from grace. Just a year ago, the Fool's Rule Your Retirement newsletter interviewed REIT expert Ralph Block to discuss whether returns that had exceeded 30% annually from 2004 to 2006 could continue.With the housing slump in full force, anything with the words "real estate" in it has gotten the cold shoulder from most investors lately. Just this past Tuesday, REIT shares got slammed in the wake of the Fed's decision to cut rates by only a quarter point.It's important to remember, however, that not all REITs focus on residential real estate. Many REITs focus on various aspects of commercial real estate management, from retail store and shopping mall.So far, business conditions i...
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Paying Mortgage Off Helps Heirs
2007-12-16 14:59:00
Just a short tip for the day. If you are thinking which makes better financial sense - to keep making scheduled payments on my mortgage or pay it off right now?Well, there is no hard and fast rules. According to the free consumer-information resource www.bankrate.com, it comes down to your personal situation. You may want to consider paying off your mortgage if you want to leave your home to your children. Paying it off will be a big help to your heirs, who may otherwise need to sell the home. Paying it off also helps protect you in case of a lawsuit. If you're sued, part of your home's value is exempt from judgments. Bankrate says never use money in your 401(k) to pay down a mortgage. With interest and penalties, it rarely works in your favor.
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Getting The Best Credit Card
2007-12-11 01:11:00
For many people, the finances have taken such a big hit that there is a pall hanging over this festive period. This time of year can be hard on your finances. You might find that in order to get through the rest of the year you might have to get a Loan. But if you have bad credit and no assets it’s hard to get Loans. There is a place where you can a loan regardless of your credit.At Best Leading Lenders you can get a loan even if you have bad credit. Whether you need a car loan, home loan, debt consolidation loan, Personal Loan or even a student loan you can get it at Best Leading Lenders.If you have bad credit and you find yourself needing a loan this holiday season, check out Best Leading Lenders they can help you out and while you’re there look into their Personal Loans.It can often be necessary for us to look for some financing for any number of reasons. There are certain life necessities that are just cost prohibitive unless we can pay over time, so we are going to need to ...
More About: Card , Credit , Credit Card

Treasury Department Defends Mortgage Freeze Criteria
2007-12-11 01:05:00
A Treasury Department official deflected criticism Wednesday that the requirements for President Bush's mortgage modification plan are too narrow to help enough struggling homeowners. "The goal here is not to draw bright lines on how outcomes should be. The goal is to have a framework of how things can be moved quickly through the process," said Undersecretary of Domestic Finance Robert K. Steel at a subprime lending and foreclosure summit in New York.He was responding to an audience question about the flexibility of the plan's criteria. He said if those borrowers who meet the plan's requirements can quickly reach a workable solution, then lenders and servicers can give more attention to those borrowers who fall outside the requirements. "The emphasis is on productivity," he said. Last week, the administration - along with loan servicers, lenders, investors and credit counselors - unveiled an initiative to freeze loan rates for certain mortgages to borrowers...
More About: Mortgage , Freeze , Criteria

Refinance Second Mortgage
2007-12-02 18:36:00
Financing a mortgage involves several considerations. Before deciding to sign on the dotted line for a mortgage, conducting an extensive research should be your top priority. Yes, we all know that but the problem is how to find the best mortgage company which gives you the best deals and assure a good transaction?Most of us will have to consider the money issue of paying for the interest and the monthly payment (amortization). Unless you have an ironclad paycheck and it is considerable, you will need to have alternatives available.One of the backup plan in reducing your payment costs and increasing the value of your home is the use of second mortgages. As the name implies, they are mortgages taken from properties that already have a mortgage.The interest rates of such loans are usually more attractive compared to other loan types. A second mortgage also offers lots of flexibility. You can refinance your second mortgage into your first mortgage which means a consolidation of your mon...
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Taking A Closer Look At Reverse Mortgages
2007-11-27 19:18:00
On Wednesday, a Senate panel will examine the increasingly popular reverse mortgages and what lawmakers say are abusive sales practices that prey on senior citizens. The Senate Special Committee on Aging is holding a hearing set for 10:30 a.m. EST on reverse mortgages, typically used to finance retirement or pay unexpected medical bills.They are becoming the escape route of choice for seniors caught in the tight straits of high-risk mortgages. Unlike a traditional mortgage, the reverse mortgage allows homeowners over age 62 to take money out of their home to help pay for their retirement or to get cash.Rather than paying back a mortgage, the lender pays part of the equity in the home to the senior owner, either in a lump sum, regular cash payments or some combination of the two. The lender takes some of home's equity as payment.The contract ends once the home is sold. Some experts warn that if homeowners choose to receive monthly payments over a fixed period of time, they c...
More About: Mortgages , Closer , Taking , Mort , Ages