Here's a good one for you to think about. You're a smart home buyer and you have requested a settlement cost booklet before settling your new mortgage. You understand everything and the day of the settlement comes, you look at the papers and the settlement costs are different from what the lender disclosed under the HUD-1 form. What can you do?

First learn what you can't do. RESPA, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, does NOT give you the right to sue the lender. Instead, what you should do is politely point out to the lender that the settlement documents are not the same as were disclosed to you previously and you would like to terminate the process to resolve the difficulty. Then work out a satisfactory arrangement with the lender, or, failing that, shop around and find a new lender. There are lots of other mortgage lenders who would love to have your business at the agreed upon terms.

Good luck, and remember, compare, compare and compare to find the best mortgage available.