Washington might push rates lower The Treasury Department is considering a plan that would set mortgage rates at 4.5% for at least some borrowers.
	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.
	The 7 biggest mortgage mistakes Avoid these pitfalls and you'll save time, money and aggravation
	How much house can you afford? Our four simple rules will make sure you can make the monthly payments and weather the recession.
	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.
	10 smart moves for buying a foreclosure You'll save 10% to 20% -- even after repairs -- if you get a good deal and avoid all the costly pitfalls.
	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.

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	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.
	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.
	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 fall in latest survey The average conventional 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage now costs 5.64% while the average jumbo loan costs 7.14%.
	More borrowers will need jumbo loans Anyone borrowing more than $625,500 in high-cost cities will need a jumbo loan, down from $729,750 in 2008.
	Condos can require big down payments Lenders are asking for up to 50% down in markets where a glut of unsold units is depressing prices.
	Stated-income loans impossible to find That's a big problem for self-employed borrowers, who depended on these loans before most lenders dropped them.
	Home sales take an unexpected plunge They fell to an annualized rate of 4.49 million homes in November and the median sales price dropped to $181,300.
	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.

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