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For Phillips, the problem was the she ended up with an exotic loan called an option adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). With these loans, a borrower has the option of making minimum monthly payments that don’t even cover the loan’s interest. That unpaid interest is then added to the mortgage principal, which means that the loan grows bigger - and more expensive - each month.

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Tags: adjustable+rate+mortgage

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The distinguished voice on the radio advertisement pitching reverse mortgages has a familiar ring: Yes, that’s James Garner, the venerable television and film actor.

Garner, in ads for a lender, touts reverse mortgages as an option for homeowners age 62 or older who are seeking an influx of cash to better manage their ever-mounting expenses — or just live a bit better in retirement.

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According to both the Bankruptcy Code and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), information on a Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy can remain on your credit profile for 10 years from the commencement of the case. But, the devastating effects don’t have to last forever, and you can immediately start rebuilding your credit by following these tips:

Clean Up Your Credit Reports

Many people find that when their Chapter 7 bankruptcies discharge, their credit reports still show several, if not all, accounts as open and overdue instead of being closed with the obligation wiped out as part of the bankruptcy. Contacting the credit bureaus and insisting that those accounts be properly reported as "included in bankruptcy" will help lessen the damage by a surprising amount. See "How to Raise Your Credit Score" for more information on cleaning up your credit reports.

Rebuilding Your Credit

Most people know that getting a secured credit card (with a typical credit line of $200 to $500) will help raise your credit score and rebuild your credit provided that you don’t charge more than about 30% of your credit limit, and you make the payments on time each month. But did you know that getting a mortgage or a home equity loan (second mortgage) also helps rebuild your credit?

Read more at Mortgage Loan Tips: How to Rebuild Bad Credit after a Bankruptcy

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For most homeowners, your mortgage payment is by far your biggest monthly expense. So we think it’s completely justifiable to spend 60 seconds reviewing it. In fact, don’t be surprised if this brief exercise does wonders for your budget. Let’s take a look under the hood and see whether we can find you some savings.

0:60 Find out whether you’re overpaying your mortgage lender
If the amount you borrowed was more than 80% of the appraised value of your home, you’re probably paying PMI, or private mortgage insurance. PMI payments are not trivial. Depending on the size of your down payment and how much your house costs, PMI can effectively increase your interest rate by as much as 1% — potentially adding hundreds of dollars to your monthly payment.

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WITH FALLING HOUSING PRICES, relatively low interest rates and an abundant inventory of properties to choose from, you’d think buying a home these days would be a breeze.

That’s until you start shopping for a mortgage. Stung by the subprime mortgage crisis, lenders have tightened their requirements considerably, giving even the most creditworthy borrowers a hard time when it comes to qualifying for a new mortgage or refinancing an existing one.

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Tags: mortgage

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Increasing numbers of hard-pressed homeowners and tenants are turning to personal loans and credit cards to fund their housing costs.

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For some seniors, a reverse mortgage may be a suitable loan, but for others it is not. If you are considering a reverse mortgage, be sure to find out the “pros” and the “cons.” Carefully evaluate whether a reverse mortgage is suitable, given your needs and circumstances, and consider whether there are other alternatives that may be more suitable for you. Steer clear of predatory lenders and scam artists who may want to steer you into a high-cost loan or sell you a reverse mortgage in order to get at your money.

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Tags: reverse+mortgage

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Question: My first mortgage is an interest-only loan at 4.75% with a balance of $287,967, and a second mortgage with another lender. It is due to reset on March 31, 2009. I wanted to refi now before the loan adjusts, so I called the lender and submitted all the documents. After a few weeks, I was told a home retention workout on my loan has been denied because I cannot afford the monthly payments. The thing is, I have been making my payments for the past 48 months without once being late. I was advised to sell the house on a short sale. What is your advice? Also, should I do it now or wait until March? Christopher, Murrieta, Calif.

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Tags: mortgage

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Question: Regarding reverse mortgages, if one spouse remains in the home while the other moves to an assisted living facility, does this trigger the due-on-sale clause? Also, I assume that in-home nursing care counts as "still living" in the home, but I want to make doubly sure.

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Tags: reverse+mortgage, trailing+spouse

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Applying for a mortgage can be a daunting experience.

It’s not enough that you’re agreeing to take on the biggest debt of your life, one that represents two to three times your annual income. You’re also confronted with piles of paperwork, flurries of fees and a tidal wave of terms, from amortization to title insurance, whose meaning is fuzzy at best.

"Whether it’s a professor at Stanford or a ditch digger," said San Francisco mortgage broker Leon Huntting, "most people don’t understand the loan process."

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