Where I can go to learn to learn financial/mortgage speak? (finance, loan)

[shecali]

Any websites? books? anything that does not involve me taking a college course?
I have a very hard time understanding all the terms and percentages. I just want to be ready before I buy a house (which I plan to do in the not so distant future).

Thanks

[GregTraub]

Kudos for wanting to put in the research.

Check out amazon.com or your local barnes and noble for books on mortgages. I think I saw a mortgages for dummies book last time I was at B&N.

If you really want to you can find a local mortgage broker school and take the class. It's just a few weekends long.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by shecali

Any websites? books? anything that does not involve me taking a college course?
I have a very hard time understanding all the terms and percentages. I just want to be ready before I buy a house (which I plan to do in the not so distant future).

Thanks

That's not a bad simple primer: The Mortgage Professor's Website

[omamia]

I found Carolyn Warren's book to be good.

[shuke]

Might want to check out something like "personal finance for dummies" at Amazon.

[shecali]

thanks for all the info, I will be checking out some of those books soon. I also read through the website posted by sierraAZ and it was very informative and easier to understand than others. :-)

[mortgageboss]

You might try Homepath (broken link) or
Freddie Mac: Buying and Owning a Home

I would avoid anything by the so called "mortgage professor". He's got an ax to grind and isnt real objective.

Fannie Mae and freddie Mac buy what is called "conforming loans" and therefore most of what you will want to know is in their website. Once you're educated, ask your freinds or family for a referral if they're happy with their mortgage broker. You want someone local who will attend your closing since its your first home. Good Luck!