The Real Estate Wonk: A little reality check - Baltimore homes, apartments, real estate: Buying, selling, renting and housing news from reporter Jamie Smith Hopkins

The Baltimore Sun > Business > Real Estate > The Real Estate Wonk

« A prediction for Maryland | Main | Shopping for a mortgage? »

October 26, 2007

A little reality check

If you love taking tests -- and you're concerned about your mortgage -- then the National Foundation for Credit Counseling has just the thing for you: a Mortgage Reality Check quiz.

There's probably nothing here that will come as a big surprise. If you say you've got an adjustable-rate mortgage and you're staying up at nights worrying about the future because you think your credit is shot, it tells you to get help now.

On the other hand, it's a reminder for homeowners -- assuming the daily news isn't reminder enough -- to think carefully about what sort of mortgage they actually have.

Thanks to mortgage trainer Christopher Cruise for pointing it out.

Posted by Jamie Smith Hopkins at 2:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Comments

Very useful tool...

Posted by: Bob | October 26, 2007 10:25 PM

Actually, this seems like a tool to drum up business for the National Foundation of Credit Counselors. I do not have an adjustable rate mortgage, have great credit, and make payments just fine. Yet if I changed my answers on just two questions, my results changed from "You do not appear to be at risk" to "Immediate advice or assistance is recommended." And my changes were not to questions like "missed any payments" but more innocuous ones. So this can be helpful but consider the source in your results.

Posted by: Addie | October 27, 2007 11:08 PM

Post a comment

All comments must be approved by the blog author. Name-calling aimed at other commenters is not welcome here. Please do not resubmit comments if they do not immediately appear. You are not required to use your full name when posting, but you should use a real e-mail address. Comments may be republished in print, but we will not publish your e-mail address. Our full Terms of Service are available here.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comments:

Verification (needed to reduce spam):

About Jamie Smith Hopkins

Jamie Smith Hopkins, a Baltimore Sun reporter since 1999, writes about the regional economy. Her reporting on the housing market has won national and local awards. Hopkins is a Columbia native and has lived in Maryland all her life, save for 10 months spent covering schools in Ames, Iowa.
She trained to become a wonk by spending large chunks of time as a geek and an insufferable know-it-all.
• Baltimore Sun articles by Jamie

Follow @realestatewonk on Twitter