Home Page Real-Estate Transactions Can Earn Consumers Variety of Perks By Andrea Jares, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Mar. 29 - Historically low interest rates prompted lots of people to buy or refinance their homes over the past year. Now an increasing number of mortgage lenders and airline companies are sweetening the pot by offering some popular perks. They are giving away airline miles, money for college and gift cards to people getting home loans, listing with a real estate agent, refinancing a mortgage or hiring a moving van. In many cases, people can get enough miles to take a trip. "It's goodbye toasters, hello Hawaii," said Jason Jepson, spokesman for California-based HomeLoanCenter.com. A family of five got enough miles from refinancing its $1.2 million house through the company that the family took a trip to Hawaii, he said. Airline programs have offered frequent-flier miles for home loans for years, said Jim O'Reilly of the Southlake-based Awards for Mortgage & Real Estate program, which offers airline miles and college cash for real estate transactions. But in the last decade, an increasing number of airline-mileage programs have added real estate transactions, and the number of miles people can get for them has risen, too. Awards for Mortgage & Real Estate quadrupled the number of participants in the last year, with the addition of more agents and a decreasing interest rate. O'Reilly knows firsthand how airline miles can add up. By earning miles for common purchases, including refinancing his house, his family of five has been able to take trips twice a year to places such as Hawaii, Australia, Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Europe. "There are so many ways you can add miles," he said. "It makes it very affordable, if not free, for us." The market for mortgage lending is expected to get more competitive as the number of people searching for a mortgage decreases. The pool of mortgages originated nationally is expected to shrink from $3.8 billion in 2003 to $2.0 billion in 2004, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Meanwhile, the mortgage group said it expects the 30-year fixed rate to increase from an average 5.8 percent in 2003 to an average 6.1 percent in 2004. Right now, mortgage interest rates are the lowest in more than 45 years. Most of the deals are not advertised, so people need to ask their prospective mortgage lenders or frequent-flier programs about perks. Buyers must also establish at the beginning of the loan process that they want to get perks. Also, follow the instructions very carefully, Jepson said. Here's a sampling of the available offers: --Refinancing: Companies such as Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Washington Mutual, Wachovia, Chase, CitiMortgage, HomeLoanCenter.com and Cendant Real Estate offer 1,000 to 1,400 airline miles for every $10,000 of the home's value. --Buying or selling a home: Airlines such as Alaska, America West, American, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, Northwest, United and US Airways offer 1,000 to 3,000 miles for each $10,000 value of a transaction. --Borrowing against a home: Airlines such as Alaska, Continental, Frontier, Hawaiian, Northwest and US Airways offer 1,250 to 7,500 miles for every $10,000 of a home equity loan's value. --Listing or selling with a real estate agent: Using a real estate agent from LendingTree or Cendant Real Estate, a home buyer listing or selling a house can net between 1,500 and 3,000 miles. LendingTree is also offering up to $2,000 in Home Depot or American Express gift cards each time a house is bought or sold using a real estate agent through its network. --Van lines will give as many as 5,000 miles for using their moving service. --Hilton HHonors offers thousands of points for mortgages, refinancing or home equity loans through selected real estate agents or one of the program's moving companies. --Upromise is giving back 0.25 percent of a transaction value for a refinancing, mortgages or home equity loans in the form of dollars for a college education. The program also gives up to $3,000 in college cash for using one of its real estate agents. --The GE Homebuyer Privileges program offers up to $500 in retail gift cards for borrowers who close with it. It will also give a $500 cash rebate for using its mortgage insurance. SAMPLING OF PROGRAMS --LendingTree, airline miles, www.lendingtree.com --Miles From Home by Cendant Real Estate, airline miles, (866) 466-3010. --Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, airline miles, (866) 324-8127. --American HomeMiles by SIRVA, airline miles, (800) 228-3083. --Awards for Mortgage & Real Estate, airline miles, Hilton HHonors points and Upromise points, (866) 502-9273, www.awardsformortgageandrealestate.com --Prudential Home Connections, airline miles, (866) 224-8895. --Colonial National Mortgage, $100 off closing costs, reduced lender fees and discounts on goods and services, www.cnmcs.com --HomeLoanCenter.com, airline miles --GE Homebuyer Privileges, discounts on building supplies, hotels and moving; gift cards; and $500 rebate, www.gehomebuyernow.com --Upromise, money for college, www.upromise.com   More News: 3-29-04 Fannie, Freddie uneasy about Senate overhaul bill 3-29-04 Arizona Legislators Push for Solar Energy Tax Incentives 3-29-04 ARMs reaching out to more home buyers 3-29-04 Assistance Programs Give College Students Early Start 3-29-04 Cheney Contends Kerry Will Kill Tax Cuts 3-29-04 Homebuyers Enjoy Dip in Mortgage Interest Rates 3-29-04 Long-term unemployment has created debt problems 3-29-04 Mortgage Companies Offer 'Energy-Efficient' Home Loans 3-29-04 Cheney's Economics 101: Higher Deficits, 3 Million Jobs Lost 3-29-04 Mortgage costs' unanticipated dip is good for buyers, owners 3-29-04 Struggling seniors amassing hefty credit debt 3-29-04 Taxpayer audits on the rise 3-29-04 U.S. mortgage rates rise on Monday 3-29-04 Tips to Help Avoid Audit From Uncle Sam       Financial News

 

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