Shopping around for a home loan or mortgage will help you to get the best financing deal. A mortgage— whether it’s a home purchase, a refinancing, or a home equity loan—is a product, just like a car, so the price and terms may be negotiable. You’ll want to compare all the costs involved in obtaining a mortgage. Shopping, comparing, and negotiating may save you thousands of dollars.

Find detailed information about the Home Affordable Refinance and Modification programs along with self-assessment tools and calculators to empower borrowers with the resources they need to determine whether they might be eligible for a modification or a refinance under the Administration's program. Through this website, borrowers can connect with free counseling resources; locate homeowner events in their communities; find a handy checklist of key documents and materials to have ready when making that important call to their servicer.

Gives you key points to help you choose the mortgage that is best for you. Provides tips on determining your budget, understanding pricing and fees, comparing loan options and gathering information from trusted resources.

Ideas and information on topics such as how to: get the best possible interest rates, avoid paying unnecessary fees, find "emergency" cash at affordable prices, and steer clear of credit-related rip-offs and scams.

This brochure explains how mortgage modification programs can help those at risk of foreclosure save their home.

The Consumer Advisory, issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, is designed to help you better understand reverse mortgages. Reverse mortgages are complex loans, and are secured by your home. It is important to understand their terms, risks, and costs before you sign a reverse mortgage contract. It is also important to consider alternatives to reverse mortgages.

Common types of foreclosure rescue scams, how they work, and what you can do if you are facing foreclosure.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s Consumer Advisory provides advice to help prevent borrowers from becoming victims of mortgage modification and foreclosure rescue scams.  It outlines what people should watch out for to avoid mortgage modification and foreclosure rescue scams.  The advisory provides a list of resources people can use to find qualified sources for help and is also published in Spanish.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency maintains a Web site www.Helpwithmybank.gov, a clearinghouse that provides consumers with answers to more than 250 frequently-asked questions (FAQs) on such financial topics as bank accounts, deposit insurance, credit cards, consumer loans, insurance, mortgages, identity theft, and safe deposit boxes.

This web page provides quick access to several resources to help homeowners, community stakeholders, and the banking industry help prevent unnecessary foreclosures and stop foreclosure “rescue” scams that promise false hope to consumers at risk of losing their homes. For Additional information call toll-free 1-877-ASK-FDIC (1-877-275-3342); hearing impaired 1-800-925-4618.

More Americans feel added stress and anxiety about their financial future as talk of rising consumer debt, falling housing prices, rising costs of living, and declining retail sales bring up worries about the nation’s economic health. Money is often on the minds of most Americans. In fact, according to the American Psychological Association’s 2007 Stress in America survey, money and work are two of the top sources of stress for almost 75 percent of Americans. Add to the mix headlines declaring a looming economic recession, and many begin to fear how they can handle any further financial crunch.

Learn if a home equity plan is right for you and how to shop for the best plan.

Alerts consumers to potential borrowing pitfalls and provides tips for getting the best financing deal possible. Warns consumers that regardless of whether a home equity loan is for home repair, bill consolidation, or some other purpose, it's important to shop around.

Lenders offer home equity credit lines in a variety of ways. The questions and answers listed may help you decide if a home equity line of credit is right for you.

Explains The Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994, what loans are covered, what disclosures are required, and what practices are prohibited.

Shop for the mortgage package that best meets your financial needs.

Owning a home is part of the American dream, but exotic mortgages also may carry risks. This publication, also available in Spanish, educates homebuyers on the loan terms and risks associated with non-traditional mortgage products.  Read this brochure, prepared by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the federal bank, thrift and credit union regulatory agencies, to find out what I-O mortgage payments and payment option ARMs entail. The brochure includes a worksheet to assist homebuyers when comparing mortgages.

Explains mortgage servicers' responsibilities, in particular under the RESPA enforced by HUD; urges consumers to keep records of their payments, insurance coverage, and other information; explains how consumers can file disputes with their loan servicer; and includes sample letters that consumers may use when filing a dispute with their lender/servicer or with a credit bureau.

Explains your rights under Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA), and what to do if your loan is rejected.

Helps consumers evaluate what to expect in today's mortgage market.