As always, I'm interested in looking at mortgages. It's such an intimidating step, buying your first house.

I've been to a few home-buying workshops, and I get the solicitations all the time ... how am I supposed to know what's a lgegitimate fee and where the hidden snake is that'll snap my arm off in three years?

Also, there is no golden egg. Don't go through mortgage refinancing as leverage to pay off your debt unless you change the behavior that got you into debt.

Good Lord, even if you have a fully-funded Emergency Fund (3 to 6 months of expenses), and are actually debt-free, mortgages and home loans can kill you if you don't know what you're doing.

My advice is: don't go for the deal that looks too good to be true. It is too good to be true! This site, www.personalhomeloanmortgages.com, offers a wealth of information on the entire mortgage loan process.

Browse their forums with confidence - ask questions about anything and everything that concerns you, post problems you've experienced, and know the site uses SecureTrust so your information is as safe as possible and your info won't be farmed out to phone banks and spammers.

They also offer an extensive directory of mortgage broker when you have that money saved up and the debt paid down, and are ready to buy a home.

By the way, the [PPP] up in the title means I found out about this topic through PayPerPost.com and am being compensated for my words. Check it out if you blog, and mention me: ellisbean AT earthlink.net