Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 20 resources
General Information
Borrower Beware: The High Cost of Small Loans, Pawn Brokers and Rent-to-Own Stores
(Separate Website)
Sometimes you may need to borrow a few hundred dollars because of an unexpected medical bill, broken appliance, or to buy a used car to obtain keep ajob. While the amount of cash you may need is small, the amount of interest you will repay may be large.
By: National Consumer Law Center
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Don't Borrow Trouble: Helping People to Avoid Predatory Lending Practices
(Separate Website)
We’ve all seen the aggressive marketing campaigns for refinance and home equity loans. They may seem tempting but they may not be the best financing alternative – they could even risk a family’s financial health, a home’s equity and the stability of a neighborhood. Knowledge is protection – learning about refinancing and the mortgage process puts the power to protect both home and family in the homeowner's hands.
By: Freddie Mac's Web Site
A Homeowner's Guide to Short Sales Homeowners who owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth may consider a short sale as a means to sell their home and/or avoid foreclosure.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Korean / 한국어
,
Spanish / Español
Foreclosure / Forfeiture 6210EN - If you fall behind in your monthly house payments, the seller or lender may try to take your house back. This is generally called foreclosure. If your house is foreclosed, you may lose not only your house, but also all the money you've invested in it.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Foreclosure When You Have a Deed of Trust 6211EN - If your house is in foreclosure, your best chance to keep your home is to act quickly and with the help of a housing counselor or an attorney. Both a housing counselor and an attorney can help you evaluate options that may be available to help save your home from foreclosure.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Home Equity Loans: Borrower Beware!
(Separate Website)
Do you own your home? If so, it's likely to be your greatest single asset. Unfortunately, if you agree to a loan that's based on the equity you have in your home, you may be putting your most valuable asset at risk.
Purchasing a Used Mobile Home in Grant or Adams County This brochure will educate you about important information to consider before buying a used mobile home within Grant and Adams counties.
By: Columbia Legal Services
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Contractor Information
(Separate Website)
Information about hiring a contractor, reporting unregistered contractors and contractor forms.
By: Department L & I
Don't Be a Victim of Loan Fraud - Protect Yourself From Predatory Lendors
(Separate Website)
Information you should know before you purchase or refinance a home loan. Link to PDF file.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
High-Cost Home Loans: Don't Be a Target
(Separate Website)
You may be a target for abusive lenders trying to sell you a loan you can't afford. This brochure has helpful information on how to avoid high cost loans.
By: National Consumer Law Center
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Know Your Rights Before Purchasing a Manufactured Home
Many times the buyers do not understand all of the terms, often relying on verbal statements that are not in writing. Inform yourself well before buying!
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Mortgage payments, foreclosure rescue scams, reverse mortgages, mortgage servicing
(Separate Website)
If you're having trouble making your payments, this article talks about what you should and things to avoid.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Predatory Lending
(Separate Website)
Predatory loans harm borrowers by making it difficult or impossible for them to keep up with payments. Borrowers may pay unnecessary fees and excessive interest charges. If they miss their payments, they risk losing their home. Borrowers who do not meet minimum credit standards usually do pay higher interest rates, but no one should be a victim of price gouging and outrageous fees.
By: Seattle / King County Coalition for Responsible Lending
Property Tax Exemptions for Senior Citizens and Disabled People
The property tax exemption is a way to lower the property taxes you have to pay by exempting all excess levies (like school construction bonds and other levies passed by voters) and sometimes part of regular levies on your home. The program does not apply to property where you do not live a majority of the time, or to more than one acre surrounding your home.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Quitclaim Deeds and Life Estates Before transferring any property, it is best to consult with a lawyer to find out all the possible consequences of the transfer in your specific circumstances. Some lawyers will provide services free of charge or for a reduced fee for low-income people. Contact your local bar association for more information.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Reverse Mortgage Loans 3/05
By: Columbia Legal Services
Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure
(Separate Website)
If you are having trouble keeping up with your mortgage payments or you have received a notice from your lender asking you to contact them, here are some tips to help get you back on track.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Video - Foreclosure Mediation in Washington State
(Separate Website)
Basic Introduction to Washington's New Mediation Process for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure
Current as of December 2011.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Video - Good Faith Foreclosure Mediation (& Not-So-Good)
(Separate Website)
An introduction to the "good faith" requirement in foreclosure mediation in Washington state with a dramatization of "A Very Good Faith Mediation."
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
What to do If You are not Satisfied with a Construction Contractor's Work and Want to File Suit against the Contractor's Bond
0302EN - There are number of reasons why you may want to sue a construction contractor. The contractor did not finish the job you hired him to do, for example, or did not do a good job. If the contractor is bankrupt or does not have any other assets, you can sue against the contractor's bond.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Adobe Acrobat Reader required. (If you are using a screen reader that does not support PDF format, copy the PDF link, and use the Access Adobe online form to convert this file to HMTL text.)
Washington LawHelp is provided as a public service by the Northwest Justice Project in collaboration with other legal aid providers in the Alliance for Equal Justice and Washington courts.
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