Financial Issues

    Transaction Topics

Financial Links

Information about shopping for mortgages and avoiding predatory lending:

• HUD’s Website—a wealth of information about homebuying. http://www.hud.gov/buying/index.cfm

• Freddie Mac’s Credit Smart Program—helps consumers understand, build, and maintain better credit. http://www.freddiemac.com/creditsmart

• FDIC’s Money Smart Program—“a training program to help adults outside the financial mainstream enhance their money skills and create positive banking relationships.” http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/overview.html

• Credit-Power targets students and contains information about credit and homeownership, including links to other sites designed for young people. It's sponsors are the Illinois Association of Realtors, the Partnership for Homeownership, and Freddie Mac. http://www.credit-power.org/default_eng.asp

Information about shopping for mortgages and avoiding predatory lending:

• “Looking for the Best Mortgage” is a brochure on how to shop, compare, and negotiate the best deal on a home loan. The brochure is a joint effort of 11 federal agencies, including FTC, the Federal Reserve Board, HUD, and the Justice Department. http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/mortgage/mortb_1.htm.

• “Don’t Be a Victim of Loan Fraud” is a HUD brochure on how to avoid predatory lending. http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/pred/predlend.cfm

• In conjunction with the FTC, NAR has issued “The Fair Credit Reporting Act and Your Credit History.” This brochure contains frequently asked questions about credit reports and credit scores and information on how to address inaccuracies. http://www.realtor.org/gapublic.nsf/files/FCRABroch.pdf/$FILE/FCRABroch.pdf

• The Fannie Mae Foundation offers free homebuying guides: “Knowing and Understanding Your Credit,” “Opening the Door to a Home of Your Own,” and “Choosing the Mortgage that’s Right for You.” http://www.homebuyingguide.com

• The Federal Trade Commission has a predatory lending pamphlet: “Home Equity Scams: Buyer’s Beware.” http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/online/pubs/homes/eqscams.htm.