It’s too hard to qualify for a home loan. Lenders are reluctant to give conventional mortgages to people without pristine credit.

Should I refinance into an interest-only mortgage?

Adjustable-rate mortgages, with their low introductory rates, can be good for borrowers who plan to move or pay off their mortgage a few years after buying a home.

Some homeowners are able to buy without the backing of the government. Are you?

An FHA-backed loan might be just what you need to get that remodeling project off the ground.

Think of this as a menu of just about all the types of mortgages there are, what you need to know about them - and the type of borrower for which each home loan is best suited.

Conforming loans are backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and are typically below $636,150. Nonconforming or "jumbo" loans have higher values and interest rates.

FHA loans allow down payments of 10% — or even 3.5%, depending on your credit score. For buyers with higher credit scores, other low-down-payment loans are available, too.

An FHA loan allows a smaller down payment and has relaxed qualifications and often a lower rate. The downside: Mortgage interest premiums commonly last for the life of the loan.

Let’s be real: Rejection hurts. It’s particularly hard if you’re denied for a mortgage preapproval, which is one of the biggest hurdles in the home-buying process.

Online mortgage lenders, web marketplaces, new brokers and non-bank lenders are all trying to make it easier to get a mortgage.

Mortgages from the Department of Veterans Affairs are known for not requiring a down payment. So why in the world would you make one? Here are five good reasons to put some money down on a VA loan.

The misdeeds of a few rogue bankers in London are going to cause headaches for millions of American home buyers and homeowners.

It is often said that home ownership builds wealth. So, what is home equity, and how can it enhance your net worth?

Perhaps you feel more at home surrounded by pastures than pavement. If so, buying a home might be well within reach, thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture mortgage program. In fact, the USDA might have one of the government’s least-known mortgage assistance programs.

VA loans play an important role in putting our military-serving citizens into a home of their own.

A mortgage with no down payment seems a little bit like scoring a buy-a-home lottery ticket.

The impulse to just pay up and move in is understandable, but you wouldn’t buy a car or a TV without researching prices on other, similar products. Same goes here. And cutting these costs even a little could help you buy a new stove or outfit the nursery.

Hurricanes can impact the housing market just as easily as the homes themselves.

There may be more ways than you think to chip away at your monthly payment.