Mortgage Resources for Consumers

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Stop Foreclosure: Documents Your Lender Needs to Help YouA video produced by Freddie Mac to help distressed homeowners prepare for a loan modification.

Whether you are looking to buy your first home or are facing foreclosure, the following links will provide you with some tips and ways to reach out for help.

Before you take out that loan, learn the basics with our Mortgage Lending Factsheet and the Federal Reserve's 5 Tips for Shopping for a Mortgage.

You can learn how to spot a bad mortgage with our Eight Signs of Predatory Mortgage Lending. To see resources from the federal government, check out HUD's Guide to Avoiding Foreclosure, and the FDIC's Foreclosure Prevention Tool Kit.

Other sources for more information include:

See our quick-reference guide to the Top 10 Mortgage Servicing Abuses.
For a wealth of information on predatory mortgage lending, visit Americans for Fairness in Lending.
Learn the basics of avoiding foreclosure in this brochure offered by the National Association of Realtors, NeighborWorks and the Center for Responsible Lending.
As foreclosures pile up, fake rescue programs have been on the rise, too. Find out from the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve how to avoid foreclosure scams that only make things worse: Foreclosure Rescue Scams: Another Potential Stress for Homeowners in Distress and 5 Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure Scams.

Foreclosure Assistance

The federal government has established programs to help struggling homeowners. To find out more, visit the Making Home Affordable site, www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov.
Worried about a foreclosure? Go to http://www.995hope.org/ to find help.
If you are facing foreclosure, there are resources available at http://www.housinghelpnow.org/
The Prince George's Community Foundation has published an excellent guide for local residents who are at risk of foreclosure, including information that may be helpful to homeowners nationwide.

Housing Counselors

Find foreclosure counseling.
Find a HUD-certified housing counselor in your state.

Home Equity Line of Credit

Have you had a sudden change in your home equity line of credit? Lenders must give you notice within 3 days after making home equity credit less available to you. Go here for the Federal Reserve's 5 Tips for Dealing with a Home Equity Line Freeze or Reduction.