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Michigan business

Lender offers help to workers

Perfect Mortgage trims closing costs

December 9, 2005

BY KIM NORRIS

FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

You may have heard the advertisements on one of six radio stations the past two days aimed directly at workers of General Motors Corp., Delphi Corp. and Northwest Airlines.

They promise financial help to workers facing uncertain futures with their financially ailing employers.

A visit to the advertiser's Web site -- http://www.perfectmortgage.com/ -- reveals a red-and-black box proclaiming an Emergency Loan Center with the official Delphi, GM and Northwest logos displayed. The box links consumers directly to a loan application.

It might sound opportunistic, but Southfield-based Perfect Mortgage is trying to help customers who form the backbone of the 10-year-old company. The mortgage lender is offering workers in the auto and airline industries $1,000 off the closing costs of a mortgage product.

"In the last couple of months, what struck us was the amount of people calling trying to prepare for wage cuts," said Jeffery Prough, a management consultant for Pro Management and Consulting Services of Southfield. He developed the product for Perfect Mortgage.

At first blush, it might be counterintuitive to think about taking out a loan in anticipation of losing your job or taking a pay cut. But Prough said now is the time for people in precarious financial situations to get their financial houses in order.

"Right now they're employed and at a higher wage so they qualify for a lot of things," he said. "The best place to go for low-interest money is your home. You don't want to start building consumer debt" through credit cards, he said.

Consumer experts advise people who are thinking of getting a home loan to carefully check closing costs and fees and, of course, interest rates. And always comparison shop.

Contact KIM NORRIS at 248-351-5186 or knorris@freepress.com.

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