By Liz Kudwa
Q: With all the problems in the housing market right now, as well as my own financial difficulties, I’m wondering if there are any resources at the library that can teach me more about mortgages and foreclose?
A: Yes, we have a good collection of books on the subject of mortgages and some of those also address the topic of foreclosures.
The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Mortgages by Jamie Sutton and Edie Milligan Driskill
This essential volume covers everything homebuyers and re-financers need to know. Coverage includes an overview of the application process, overcoming qualification hurdles, finding the right type of loan, when and how to refinance to save money, and much more. Contains the forms readers need as they move through the mortgage process, including a sample application, pre-qualification forms, re-finance worksheets, and mortgage payment and amortization tables. (Barnes & Noble)
The Mortgage Answer Book: Choosing The Right Loan For You by John J. Talamo
The Mortgage Answer Book dispels the myths of buying a home by identifying the loan options available and showing how loans are available for everyone. Looking at the pros and cons of each loan, the reader is then given the ability to make an informed decision that fits his or her needs. Loan options that are covered include: Standard Mortgages, FHA Loans, Adjustable Rate Mortgages, Reverse Mortgages, Refinancing, Lines of Credit, Home Equity Loans, and Second Mortgages. (Sourcebooks, Inc.)
House Poor: Pumped-Up Prices, Rising Rates, And Mortgages On Steroids by June Fletcher
This indispensable survival guide will address questions that include: Should I take equity out of my house in these uncertain times? How can I tell when my hometown is likely to boom or bust? Is it too late to buy as a first-time home-owner? How about as an investor? What are the best tips to protect my home investment? What are the best tips to increase my investment? Should I just get out of the market now while prices are still hot? Where are America’s most vulnerable housing markets? (Collins)
Mortgages 101: Quick Answers To Over 250 Critical Questions About Your Home Loan by David Reed
First-time buyers and anyone with questions about home mortgages will find this an accessible and thorough book, with clearly written answers to the myriad details of these loans. A sample of the topics of the 16 chapters includes construction loans, mortgage brokers, the Internet, refinancing, down payments, and credit scores. Reed is a senior loan officer in Texas. (Book News, Inc.)
106 Mortgage Secrets All Homebuyers Must Learn–But Lenders Don’t Tell by Gary W. Eldred
This book offers the inside secrets for getting the best mortgage deal possible, from one of real estate’s leading experts, Gary Eldred. He shows readers how to play the game to win and how to make sure loan reps are truly offering the best possible deal. Simple, concise, and comprehensive, this book covers everything mortgage hunters should know, especially the 106 secrets lenders don’t want to reveal. (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)
These two titles below are so new the library has not yet received its copies. However, these books do appear in our catalog and you can place holds on either of them.
National Foreclosure Awareness: A Consumer’s Guide To The Facts Of Foreclosure by Tia Selner-Monday
An empowering handbook designed to educate distressed homeowners about the foreclosure process and what their options are. Gives valuable insight into what steps to take, who to talk to and what to say. (booklocker.com, Inc.)
American Nightmare: Predatory Lending And The Foreclosure Of The American Dream by Richard Lord
Homeowners who can’t borrow from banks have long turned to the sub-prime lending industry for mortgages. Increasingly, that industry has turned on them by charging outrageous fees and usurious interest, and then taking their homes through foreclosure. Richard Lord, writer for the Pittsburg City Paper, explores the spread of predatory lending practices. (Common Courage Press)
Elizabeth Kudwa is the Head Librarian at the Leslie Library,
201 Pennsylvania Street, Leslie, MI. Contact her at 517-589-9400 or by e-mail at
kudwae@cadl.org.
