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• Cover
• Introduction
• How This Book is Different
• Foolish Assumptions
• Icons Used in This Book
• Beyond the Book
• Where to Go from Here
• Part 1: Getting Started with Mortgages
• Chapter 1: Determining Your Borrowing Power
• Only You Can Determine the Mortgage Debt You Can Afford
• Determine Your Potential Homeownership Expenses
• Consider the Impact of a New House on Your Financial Future
• Chapter 2: Qualifying for a Mortgage
• Getting Preapproved for a Loan
• Evaluating Your Creditworthiness: The Underwriting Process
• Eyeing Predicament-Solving Strategies
• Chapter 3: Scoping Out Your Credit Score
• Defining Credit Scores
• Assessing Your Credit History
• Understanding How Scores Work
• Part 2: Locating a Loan
• Chapter 4: Fathoming the Fundamentals
• Grasping Loan Basics: Principal, Interest, Term, and Amortization
• Deciphering Mortgage Lingo
• Eyeing Classic Mortgage Jargon Duets
• Introducing the Punitive Ps
• Chapter 5: Selecting the Best Home Purchase Loan
• Three Questions to Help You Pick the Right Mortgage
• Fixed-Rate Mortgages: No Surprises
• Adjustable-Rate Mortgages (ARMs)
• Fine-Tuning Your Thought Process
• Getting a Loan When Rates Are High
• Chapter 6: Surveying Special Situation Loans
• Understanding Home Equity Loans
• Eyeing 100 Percent Home Equity Loans
• Taking a Closer Look at Co-Op Loans
• Grasping Balloon Loans
• Part 3: Landing a Lender
• Chapter 7: Finding Your Best Lender
• Going with a Mortgage Broker or Direct Lender?
• Seller Financing: The Trials and Tribulations
• Chapter 8: Searching for Mortgage Information Online
• Obeying Our Safe Surfing Tips
• Perusing Our Recommended Mortgage Websites
• Chapter 9: Choosing Your Preferred Mortgage
• Taking a Look at Loan Fees
• Avoiding Dangerous Loan Features
• Comparing Lenders’ Programs
• Applying with One or More Lenders
• Chapter 10: Managing Mortgage Paperwork
• Pounding the Paperwork
• Filling Out the Uniform Residential Loan Application
• Introducing Other Typical Documents
• Part 4: Profiting from Smart Mortgage Strategies
• Chapter 11: Refinancing Your Mortgage
• Refinancing Rationales
• Cost-Cutting Refinances
• Restructuring Refinances
• Cash-Out Refinances
• Expediting Your Refi
• Beating Borrower’s Remorse
• Chapter 12: Paying Down Your Mortgage Quicker
• One Size Doesn’t Fit All
• Deciding Whether to Repay Your Mortgage Faster
• Developing Your Payoff Plan
• Chapter 13: Reverse Mortgages for Retirement Income
• Grasping the Reverse Mortgage Basics
• Shopping for a Reverse Mortgage
• Deciding Whether You Want a Reverse Mortgage
• Part 5: The Part of Tens
• Chapter 14: Ten-Plus “Must-Knows” About Foreclosure
• Deal with Reality
• Review Your Spending and Debts
• Beware of Foreclosure Scams
• Consider Tapping Other Assets
• Make Use of Objective Counseling
• Negotiate with Your Lender
• Understand Short Sales
• Seek Legal and Tax Advice
• Understand Bankruptcy
• Consider the Future Impact to Your Credit Report
• Understand the Realities of Investing in Foreclosed Property
• Chapter 15: Ten Mortgage No-Nos
• Don’t Let Lenders Tell You What You Can Afford
• Never Confuse Loan Prequalification with Preapproval
• Avoid Loans with Prepayment Penalties
• Don’t Reflexively Grab a Fixed-Rate Mortgage
• Steer Clear of Toxic 100 Percent Home Equity Loans
• Watch Out for Mortgage Brokers with Hidden Agendas
• Shun Negative Amortization Mortgages
• Don’t Let the 2 Percent Rule Bully You When Refinancing
• Don’t Assume That All Reverse Mortgages Are the Same or Bad
• Avoid Mortgage Life Insurance
• Part 6: Appendixes
• Appendix A: Loan Amortization Table
• Appendix B: Remaining Balance Tables
• Appendix C: Glossary
• About the Authors
• Connect with Dummies
• End User License Agreement