5 smart moves to get the best rate Here's what you can do right now to qualify for a cheaper mortgage. And every tenth-of-a-point is worth fighting for.
	10 questions your GFE should answer Use your Good Faith Estimate to make sure you're getting the loan you've been promised and avoid nasty surprises.
	Preapproval is a great first step Before you start looking for a home you approve of, you need to find a lender that approves of you. Here's a step-by-step guide.
	How to save on closing costs Our 5 smart moves will help you spot and reduce unnecessary fees, making your settlement less costly and aggravating.
	Down payments are back With "no down" deals almost impossible to get, buying a home requires some cash. At least 3%. Maybe 20% or more.
	How much house can you afford? Our four simple rules will make sure you can make the monthly payments and weather the recession.
	FHA loans can help first-time buyers If you have little or no money for a down payment, or iffy credit, this could be what you need.

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	Take advantage of more than 2 million empty homes Whether it's owned by a bank, builder or individual, a vacant home gives you more leverage to pay less and dicker for incentives.
	Postpone applying for credit cards That prompts those potential lenders to check your credit report, which lowers your credit score.
	Get three bids for home insurance Your lender will insist that you have a policy that's paid for, and in effect, when you close on your home purchase.
	Get the right rate cap for your ARM Make sure the payments can't go up too much, too fast, when the interest rate resets on your adjustable-rate mortgage.
	Decide what to spend before looking Without reasonable limits you'll probably buy a pricier home and take out a bigger mortgage than you can comfortably repay.
	Refinance before retiring If you've had your current loan long enough to take a bite out of your principal, this is a way to reduce monthly costs.

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	Mortgage rates ease in latest survey The average conventional 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage now costs 6.33% while the average jumbo loan costs 7.62%.
	Threshold for jumbo loans drops Jan. 1 Anyone borrowing more than $625,500 in high-cost cities will need a jumbo loan, down from $729,750 today.
	Shopping for a loan won't hurt credit scores When a number of mortgage lenders ask to see your credit history all at once they're counted as a single inquiry against your FICO score.
	Interest gobbles up most of your payment That's because lenders take the entire interest charge from your monthly mortgage payment and only apply what's left to your balance.
	Be cautious when comparing APRs It favors loans with low interest rates and high fees, which are not the right choice for most buyers.
	A couple's lowest credit score counts most That's the one lenders use to determine whether you qualify for a loan and what interest rate you'll pay.

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