NEWS RELEASE
MAKING $ENSE NEW ENGLAND
PROGRAM #109
July 15 at 8 p.m.

With homeowners trying to avoid foreclosure in a bad housing market, mortgage fraudsters are finding plenty of unsuspecting victims. Find out how to avoid a real estate scam on the next Making $ense New England, airing Thursday, July 15 at 8 p.m. on New Hampshire Public Television, Maine Public Broadcasting Network and Vermont Public Television. Newlyweds and money, timeshares and being a successful older worker are also featured on Thursday’s program.

Mortgage Scams. A North Conway, NH, family learned the hard way about mortgage fraud, falling victim to a foreclosure rescue plan. They paid a fee to a third-party to refinance their mortgage, then soon realized they had been scammed. Now they have lost twice – their home and the fee. NH Assistant Attorney General Karen Gorham explains, “Often times they [the scam artist] don’t do any work. They take the money up front and never contact the lender.” Find out how to find reputable help in avoiding foreclosure.

Newlyweds & Money. From the moment a couple is married, money matters test the strength of the union. Arguing about money is one of the top reasons marriages fail. As one Portland, ME, couple is discovering, melding finances involves understanding how the each person values money, saving, spending and planning for the future. Susan Veligor, a financial advisor, gives advice to newlywed and other couples.

Timeshares. Are you in the market for a vacation home? The recession has made certain types of vacation property, including timeshares, more affordable. But are timeshares really a good deal? Those familiar with the market advise that as a vacation plan it can work very well, but it may not be prudent as an investment.

Success and the Older Worker. AARP’s Deb Russell talks with MPBN producer Jennifer Rooks about ways to help older workers succeed.

MAKING $ENSE NEW ENGLAND, a 10-part series, airs monthly through August 2010, with stories about grassroots responses and solutions to the economic crisis of northern New England. The series is a collaboration of New Hampshire Public Television, Maine Public Broadcasting Network, and Vermont Public Television. www.makingsensene.org

Funding for Making $ense New England provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; Financial Industry Regulatory Authority; Foundation for Financial Planning; FINRA Investor Education Foundation; and Goodwill Industries of Northern New England.