Negative amortization. Prepayment penalties. LIBOR and 12-Month Treasury Average indexes. Balance caps. Discount points. Origination fees. Confused yet?

 From indexes and LTV ratios to discount points, mortgage industry jargon baffles many borrowers, who often sign the mounds of paperwork put in front of them without ever reading the documents.

Jeffery Z. Sayegh, of Cave Creek, and Kimberly R. Werking, of Phoenix, were indicted by the Arizona Attorney General's Office on five counts of forgery, one count of money laundering and one count of fraudulent schemes and artifices. Werking, 42, was also indicted on six counts of residential mortgage fraud, five counts of theft and one count of illegal control of an enterprise.

Justin and Krystle Albrant have watched helplessly as their monthly mortgage payment climbed steadily toward being unaffordable.

Quicken Loans, a Michiganbased online mortgage lender, announced plans Tuesday to open a western regional office in north Scottsdale that is expected to create nearly 400 jobs.

WASHINGTON - Late mortgage payments shot up to a 3 1/2-year high in the final quarter of last year and new foreclosures surged to a record high as borrowers with tarnished credit histories had trouble keeping up with their monthly payments.

More Arizonans paid their mortgage payments late during the fourth quarter of 2002, but nationally the rate is declining. The number of loans in foreclosure set a record nationally and increased locally from October to December, according to a quarterly report released Monday.

A Cave Creek man and a Phoenix woman have been indicted on several felony forgery, money-laundering and fraudulent schemes counts in connection to an alleged equity skimming operation in Phoenix and north Scottsdale, the Arizona Attorney General's Office announced.

Reverse mortgages, which allow older adults to convert some of the equity in their homes into cash, have been a lifeline for many house-rich, cash-poor seniors struggling to get by.

Reverse mortgages, which allow older adults to convert some of the equity in their homes into cash, have been a lifeline for many house-rich, cash-poor seniors struggling to get by.

Reverse mortgages, which allow older adults to convert some of the equity in their homes into cash, have been a lifeline for many house-rich, cash-poor seniors struggling to get by.

The subprime mortgage market’s dramatic free fall is reverberating throughout the Valley as lenders tighten standards and would-be buyers watch in dismay as deals collapse without warning.

State senators agreed Monday to try to protect Arizonans against the kind of mortgage practices that got so many into trouble in the first place.

A controversial procedure used by lenders to store mortgage documents is not illegal — and not enough to stop home foreclosures, a federal appellate court ruled Wednesday.

Navigating the mortgage world can be a formidable and confusing task for hopeful homeowners - especially with standards frequently changing in today's strained lending environment.

If you are self-employed, you already know the benefits that come with making your own decisions and never having to report to a boss. However, there are some disadvantages to generating your own income when it comes to applying for a home loan.

Pay homeowners to prevent them from walking away from underwater homes?

Eleven years ago, Erik Lutz, 37 and Fred Kron, 40, started the Great Southwest Mortgage Co. with five employees. Today, the Scottsdale mortgage brokerage firm has more than 1,200 employees, 44 branch offices and handles more than $3 billion worth of loans annually.

With mortgage rates at historic lows, now may be a good time to buy or refinance a house, and the Internet has made it easier than ever to shop for a mortgage.

The state Attorney General's office sued Bank of America on Friday, accusing it of defrauding its mortgage customers.

For Darrell Logan, 2008 has been the most difficult year of his life. An unyielding series of financial setbacks have culminated in the Queen Creek homeowner, along with his wife, Donnique, and their four children, falling behind on their mortgage and hoping that their lender, Washington Mutual, will give them a break and not rush them into foreclosure.

A local grass-roots campaign is under way to get federal lawmakers to establish a new program allowing all homeowners to modify their existing mortgages to a 4 percent interest rate for 40 years.

Socrates Hattox, 37, is known as "Soc" to his friends and employees.

With mortgage rates at historic lows, now may be a good time to buy or refinance a house, and the Internet has made it easier than ever to shop for a mortgage.