Tag: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
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Out of Control: Title Insurance and Other “Extras” Home Buyers Pay
$18K annually. That’s what the average homeowner pays to be one — above and beyond the price of the home and mortgage, property taxes, and utilities. Mortgage closing costs make up a third of that figure. U.S. housing costs are outpacing the country’s overall inflation. Homeowners’ insurance alone is up 11% year over year. And…
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Before Applying for Your Mortgage, Get Familiar With the Official Consumer Toolkit
Know Before You Owe is a set of mortgage guides from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). It shows home loan seekers the steps they need to take to open and handle a mortgage account. It provides detailed information on interest rates, and explains how to find comparable deals on loans, too. This makes perfect…
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“Unlicensed Appraisal” and Other Stories: How Scam Artists Chase Disaster Victims
After Tropical Storm Hilary blasted the Baja and San Diego regions in mid-August, the Federal Trade Commission urged people to watch for a surge in rip-offs. Opportunists may say they’re performing appraisals, but unless they are licensed appraisers, they lack professional accountability. If they’re improperly doing the work of adjusters, they might be violating state…
