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I became a first-time homeowner four years ago, and in the process I learned a lot about mortgages, much of which I found interesting and surprising. Here are 10 things you may not know about mortgages.

1. You can buy a house with 0% down. That's right, you can buy a house with no down payment at all. There may even be a government agency that will help with your closing costs. These options aren't available to everyone, but first-time homeowners and/or homebuyers of limited means should definitely do some research. Check out the Department of Housing and Urban Development website for more information; and here's a list of special programs offered in various states. If you don't fit one of those categories, talk to a lender or mortgage broker about the loans that they offer. An "80-20" loan, for example, allows you to take out a first mortgage for 80% of the purchase price and a home equity loan or line of credit for the remaining 20%.

BBB Urges to Know the Facts about Reverse Mortgages

Raleigh, NC, May 30, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Beverly Baskin, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina, advises long-term homeowners with equity built from homeownership, that a reverse mortgage can be a good investment. Reverse mortgages allow homeowners to turn their home equity into spendable cash without having to make monthly interest or principal payments.Under a reverse mortgage, the lender sends the borrower money via a lump-sum payment, a line-of-credit, monthly check or a combination of all three. The homeowner is not required to pay back any of the loan advances or interest until the loan term is over. Generally, no repayment is due until the borrower no longer occupies the house.Before venturing into a reverse mortgage the BBB, along with the Federal Trade Commission, suggest that homeowners consider the following facts:Reverse mortgages are rising-debt loans.

Jack Naudi

I was all set to provide a glowing update to last year's column, one of the few in which I wrote about a specific product. Now, I'd say I've become more skeptical. A year ago, I wrote of the program: "It provides you with more money to invest in stocks and bonds." Well, that might be true in some cases. But in the vast majority of regular mortgages, it's not. Indeed, it's just the opposite. The program works as advertised only if you put more money into your home than into other investments.


But the Home Accelerator is dramatically different from a regular mortgage. In simplest terms, it's a lot like a home equity line of credit, but with a bit of a kick.

Under the program, your home equity line also is a bank account. You deposit checks into it, just as you would into a regular checking account.