Tips & Articles

Your Mortgage

Whom to Contact (Government Loan Programs)

Where do I get information on who regulates lenders?

The following regulatory bodies oversee lenders:

• Comptroller of the Currency, Compliance Division, Washington, D.C., (800) 613-6743.
• Office of Thrift Supervision, Consumer Affairs, Washington, D.C., (202) 906-6237.
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Consumer Affairs, Washington, D.C., (800) 934-3342.

Your state departments of real estate or commerce also may regulate the lenders in your area.

Where do I get information on finding the best loan?

For information on how to find the best home loan for you, check out this booklet:

• "How to Shop for a Mortgage," by the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, 1125 15th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20005; call (202) 861-6500.

Where do I get information on correcting loan payments?

The following auditing services can do a thorough review of residential mortgages for lender calculation errors:

• Mortgage Monitor; 1372 Summer Street, Samford, 06905; (800) AUDIT-USA.
• Loantech, (301) 762-7700.

But keep in mind that these services come with a fee, and your lender should be able to work with you to make your own accurate calculation.

Where can I get a list of mortgage brokers?

For information on mortgage brokers, contact the National Association of Mortgage Brokers at (703) 610-9009

Where do I get information on the secondary market?

Two major secondary-market sources are Fannie Mae, 1-800-732-6643, and Freddie Mac, 1-800-FREDDIE.

Where do I get information on VA loans?

For information on VA loans, call the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs directly at (800) 827-1000. Also refer to:

• "To the Home-Buying Veteran," Department of Veterans Affairs; 810 Vermont Ave., N.W.; Washington, DC 20420.
• "VA Home Loans," Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20420.