Everything you need to know before you borrow... Unless you're sitting on a pile of cash, chances are you'll need to take out a mortgage when you're ready to buy a home. But how do you know how much house you can afford? What should you look for in a loan? What kind of paperwork is needed . . . and how do you improve your odds of getting a great rate? Mortgages 101 eliminates the confusion and stress with clear-cut answers to all your questions. Updated to reflect the enormous changes in the mortgage market in recent years, Mortgages 101 is the all-in-one reference you've been looking for. Covering a wide range of topics-from negotiating the best deal to saving on closing costs-this revised third edition provides the latest information on: Application procedures * Online lenders * New loan and government programs * Qualifying requirements * Credit strategies * Down payment assistance and zero-down options * Guidelines for self-employed borrowers * Bankruptcies and waiting periods * Refinancing and home equity loans * Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rules * The Ability-to-Repay mandate * And much more This is THE book you need to read before you sign on the dotted line.