Mortgages

The Subprime Solution: How Today's Global Financial Crisis Happened, and What to Do about It

The subprime mortgage crisis has already wreaked havoc on the lives of millions of people and now it threatens to derail the U.S. economy and economies around the world. In this trenchant book, best-selling economist Robert Shiller reveals the origins of this crisis and puts forward bold measures to solve it. He calls for an aggressive response--a restructuring of the institutional foundations of the financial system that will not only allow people once again to buy and sell homes with confidence, but will create the conditions for greater prosperity in America and throughout the deeply interconnected world economy.

Shiller blames the subprime crisis on the irrational exuberance that drove the economy's two most recent bubbles--in stocks in the 1990s and in housing between 2000 and 2007. He shows how these bubbles led to the dangerous overextension of credit now resulting in foreclosures, bankruptcies, and write-offs, as well as a global credit crunch. To restore confidence in the markets, Shiller argues, bailouts are needed in the short run. But he insists that these bailouts must be targeted at low-income victims of subprime deals. In the longer term, the subprime solution will require leaders to revamp the financial framework by deploying an ambitious package of initiatives to inhibit the formation of bubbles and limit risks, including better financial information; simplified legal contracts and regulations; expanded markets for managing risks; home equity insurance policies; income-linked home loans; and new measures to protect consumers against hidden inflationary effects.

This powerful book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how we got into the subprime mess--and how we can get out.

Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis

"In Financial Shock, Mr. Zandi provides a concise and lucid account of the economic, political and regulatory forces behind this binge." --The Wall Street Journal "Aggressive builders, greedy lenders, optimistic home buyers: Zandi succinctly dissects the mortgage mess from start to (one hopes) finish." --U.S. News and World Report "If you wonder how it could be possible for a subprime mortgage loan to bring the global financial system and the U.S. economy to its knees, you should read this book. No one is better qualified to provide this insight and advice than Mark Zandi." -- Larry Kudlow, Host, CNBC's Kudlow & Company "Every once in a while a book comes along that's so important, it commands recognition. This is one of them. Zandi provides a rilliant blow-by-blow account of how greed, stupidity, and recklessness brought the first major economic crises of the 21st entury and the most serious since the Great Depression." --Bernard Baumohl,Managing Director, The Economic Outlook Group and best-selling author, The Secrets of Economic Indicators "Throughout the financial crisis Mark Zandi has played two important roles.He has insightfully analyzed its causes and thoughtfully recommended steps to alleviate it. This book continues those tasks and adds a third--providing a comprehensive and comprehensible explanation of the issues that is accessible to the general public and extremely useful to those who specialize in the area." --Barney Frank, Chairman, House Financial Services Committee The subprime crisis created a gigantic financial catastrophe. What happened? How did it happen? How can we prevent similar crises from happening again? Mark Zandi answers all these critical questions--systematically, carefully, and in plain English. Zandi begins with a fast-paced overview and then illuminates the deepest causes, from the psychology of homeownership to Alan Greenspan's missteps. You'll see the home "flippers" at work and the real estate agents who cheered them on. You'll learn how Internet technology and access to global capital transformed the mortgage industry, helping irresponsible lenders drive out good ones.Zandi demystifies the complex financial engineering that enabled lenders to hide deepening risks, shows how global investors eagerly bought in, and explains how flummoxed regulators failed to prevent disaster, despite crucial warning signs. Most important, Zandi offers indispensable advice for investors who must recognize emerging bubbles, policymakers who must improve oversight, and citizens who must survive whatever comes next. *Liar's loans, flippers, predatory lenders, delusional homebuilders How the housing market came unhinged, and the whirlwind came together*Alan Greenspan's trillion-dollar bet Betting on the boom, ignoring the bubble*The subprime market goes global Worldwide investors get a piece of the action--and reap the results*Wall Street's alchemists: conjuring up Frankenstein New financial instruments and their hidden contents*Back to the future: risk management for the 21st century Respecting the "animal spirits" that drive even the most sophisticated markets

Confessions of a Subprime Lender: An Insider's Tale of Greed, Fraud, and Ignorance

Former subprime lender Richard Bitner once worked in an industry that started out helping disadvantaged customers but collapsed due to greed, lack of financial control and willful ignorance. In Confessions of a Subprime Lender: An Insider's Tale of Greed, Fraud, and Ignorance, he reveals the truth about how the subprime lending business spiraled out of control, pushed home prices to unsustainable levels, and turned unqualified applicants into qualified borrowers through creative financing. Learn about the ways the mortgage industry can be fixed with his twenty suggestions for critical change.

Mortgages For Dummies, 3rd Edition

For many of us, the single biggest financial transaction is buying a house. Even more significant than the hefty down payment we fork over is the 15- to 30-year mortgage that needs feeding every month. If you have this much at stake, a little knowledge can go a long way, which is where Eric Tyson and Ray Brown come in. In Mortgages for Dummies, Tyson and Brown (who also wrote Home Buying for Dummies and House Selling for Dummies) provide a comprehensive introduction for anyone who is contemplating a mortgage. The book tells you how to evaluate your creditworthiness, determine your borrowing power, and shop for a lender, as well as covering the various types of loans. The authors also devote a section to refinancing and discuss what you should consider when prepaying a loan. They include amortization and remaining-balance tables, and a useful glossary. Whether you're a first-time home buyer or are just looking to refinance, you'll find this a valuable, easy-to-use guide. --Harry C. Edwards

Now updated! The proven guide to negotiating the best mortgage terms--and surviving today's lending crisis

In today's hostile real estate market, homebuyers and owners are daunted by the prospect of securing a mortgage. In Mortgages For Dummies, Third Edition, bestselling personal finance authors Eric Tyson and Ray Brown give borrowers timely solutions, whether they need a loan to buy their first home, want to refinance their existing mortgage in the face of escalating payments, or tap into the equity they've built up. This revised edition features up-to-the-minute information on subprime and adjustable-rate mortgages, as well as updated worksheets and tools for calculating the costs and payments associated with a mortgage. Tyson and Brown decipher the jargon and point out all the fiscal pitfalls that borrowers need to know, showing them how to determine their borrowing power, select the right loan, find the best lender and options, and fill out all the paperwork correctly. This no-nonsense, comprehensive resource is a must for every homeowner or homeowner-to-be.

For Eric Tyson's biography, see page 67.

Mortgage Ripoffs and Money Savers: An Industry Insider Explains How to Save Thousands on Your Mortgage or Re-Finance

Mortgage Rip-offs and Money Savers reveals how the mortgage industry cheats borrowers out of billions in extra costs every year. Mortgage industry insider Carolyn Warren taps her decade of experience with lenders to expose the tricks, lies, and dirty little secrets they don't want you to know. With her expert guidance, borrowers will save tens of thousands when they avoid the traps so many consumers fall into. Having this inside information is the only way borrowers can truly get the best possible deal. This book presents that knowledge in an interesting and easy format that anyone can understand. Readers won't be victims of the mortgage industry with this invaluable resource in hand. Instead, they'll get the best possible rates, avoid bogus fees, and get the great deal they deserve.

Plunder: Investigating Our Economic Calamity and the Subprime Scandal

From the author of THE MORE YOU WATCH THE LESS YOU KNOW, NEWS DISSECTOR and WHEN NEWS LIES...

Americans under a burden that many will never crawl out of.

* PLUNDER identifies some of the profiteers and calls for an investigation of those behind this shrewdly engineered subprime scheme. * PLUNDER indicts the regulators who enabled the crisis and the media that missed it. * PLUNDER advocates a debt-relief movement in America and argues that such a movement would resonate across the political spectrum.

"Social critic and journalistic provocateur - Danny Schechter - deserves our appreciation for identifying yet another crucially important issue that has been ignored by the mainstream media and our national leaders." - Robert D. Manning, Professor and Director of the Center for Consumer Financial Services, Rochester Institute of Technology

Mortgage Encyclopedia: An Authoritative Guide to Mortgage Programs, Practices, Prices and Pitfalls

A one-stop reference for in-depth explanations of mortgage topics

With the creation of so many new, complex mortgage programs, it's difficult for consumers --not to mention real estate agents, attorneys, closing agents, and mortgage brokers--to keep track of them all. Written by nationally syndicated real estate columnist Jack Guttentag, The Mortgage Encyclopedia helps readers understand the various mortgage terms, features, and options by offering clear, precise explanations. The alphabetical organization of terms makes it easy to quickly find information on any topic, from FHA, Investor, and No-PMI Loans to Origination Fee and Rate Float. Each entry includes not just a description of the term, but also relevant advice for consumers, such as answers to the questions "Is this loan right for me?" and "Can I negotiate this fee?"

• Guides readers through the bewildering array of new mortgage programs
• Features definitions and explanations of common mortgage, escrow, and closing fees and arcane mortgage terminology

Real Estate Finance And Investments (Real Estate Finance and Investments)

Rigorous yet practical, Real Estate Finance and Investments has been the leading real estate finance and investments text for over 25 years, consistently setting the standard for currency and coverage in real estate finance and investments textbooks.. . The 13th edition continues to provide students with the tools they need to understand and analyze real estate markets and the investment alternatives available to both debt and equity investors. New content and problems addressing current trends in real estate finance and investments have been seamlessly incorporated into the text, without disrupting the material and organization instructors have relied on in past editions..

Stop Foreclosure Now: The Complete Guide to Saving Your Home and Your Credit

Americans are losing their homes in record numbers, and the housing crisis seems unlikely to subside any time soon. Many people faced with foreclosure feel helpless and resigned to giving up their homes without even trying to save them. With the right advice, however, homeowners can take control of the situation, avoid foreclosure proceedings, and even protect their credit. Timely and indispensible, this guide will help anyone survive the housing crisis and preserve their most important investment.

We’ve all heard the reports. Americans are losing their homes in record numbers, and the housing crisis seems unlikely to subside anytime soon. Foreclosures affect all kinds of people and all kinds of properties. Many people faced with foreclosure feel helpless and resigned to giving up their homes without even trying to save them. The good news is that with the right advice, homeowners can take control of the situation, avoid foreclosure proceedings, and even protect their credit. Lloyd Segal, mortgage banker, attorney, and real estate investor has spent the last twenty-five years helping homeowners save their houses. In Stop Foreclosure Now, he shows readers how to:

develop a plan to delay or stop foreclosure • understand the documents involved • negotiate with their lender • use the courts to stop foreclosure and bankruptcy • arrange to refinance their property • sell their property quickly • use military status to stop foreclosure • understand foreclosure laws in all 50 states

Timely and indispensable, this guide will help anyone survive the housing crisis and preserve their most important investment.

Subprime Mortgage Credit Derivatives (Frank J. Fabozzi Series)

Mortgage credit derivatives are a risky business, especially of late. Written by an expert author team of UBS practitioners-Laurie Goodman, Shumin Li, Douglas Lucas, and Thomas Zimmerman-along with Frank Fabozzi of Yale University, Subprime Mortgage Credit Derivatives covers state-of-the-art instruments and strategies for managing a portfolio of mortgage credits in today's volatile climate.

Divided into four parts, this book addresses a variety of important topics, including mortgage credit (non-agency, first and second lien), mortgage securitizations (alternate structures and subprime triggers), credit default swaps on mortgage securities (ABX, cash synthetic relationships, CDO credit default swaps), and much more. In addition, the authors outline the origins of the subprime crisis, showing how during the 2004-2006 period, as housing became less affordable, origination standards were stretched-and when home price appreciation then turned to home price depreciation, defaults and delinquencies rose across the board.

The recent growth in subprime lending, along with a number of other industry factors, has made the demand for timely knowledge and solutions greater than ever before, and this guide contains the information financial professionals need to succeed in this challenging field.