Shopping around for a home loan or mortgage will help you to get the best financing deal. A mortgage—whether it's a home purchase, a refinancing, or a home equity loan—is a product, just like a car, so the price and terms may be negotiable. You'll want to compare all the costs involved in obtaining a mortgage. Shopping, comparing, and negotiating may save you thousands of dollars.

Public Information Guide Answers: Should you refinance your home mortgage? Advice/Articles, Current Interest Rates, Calculators, Government Resources, Lenders.

MGIC Corporate Library - Resources For The Secondary Mortgage Market.

Bankrate.com's mortgage calculators can help you figure out how much you can afford, how much you should borrow and more.

Monthly Payment Calculator - figure out the monthly payment on your future home. Pre-Qualification Calculator - calculate how large of a mortgage you may qualify for. APR Calculator - find out what you are really paying (annual percentage rate) for a loan. Refinance Calculator - check and see if refinancing your current loan will help. Amortization Schedule Calculator - Amortize your mortgage payment with a complete breakdown over the period of your loan.

This page contains information about the mortgage loan process and tips for avoiding predatory lending. The term "predatory lending" encompasses a variety of home mortgage lending practices. Predatory lenders often try to pressure consumers into signing loan agreements they cannot afford or simply are not in the consumers' best interest. Often, through the use of false promises and deceptive sales tactics, borrowers are convinced to sign a loan contract before they have had a chance to review the paperwork and do the math to determine whether they can truly afford the loan.

The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), enacted by Congress in 1975 and implemented by the Federal Reserve Board's Regulation C, requires lending institutions to report public loan data. In this section of the web site, you can find out more about the regulation and it's interpretation.

The home page for the Division of Mortgage Lending. The Division is authorized to enforce the statutes and regulations pertaining to Mortgage Bankers, Mortgage Brokers, Mortgage Agents, Escrow Agencies and Escrow Agents. The Division's mission is to safeguard public interest by coordinating with industry groups to promote professionalism and ethics of the mortgage lending and escrow industries, and to ultimately provide consumers with a meaningful resolution process.

Authors: Patricia Gorman, graduate assistant, and Kathleen Parrott, Extension housing specialist, Virginia Tech. Most people consider refinancing their home mortgage to take advantage of lower interest rates and reduce their monthly mortgage payment. Refinancing a mortgage means paying off your old mortgage and signing a contract for a new loan.

Shopping for a mortgage can be a intimidating, even if you have a strong grasp of basic mortgage knowledge. Do some comparative research before making your final decision. To begin, there are several sources that can provide mortgage information, referrals, and rates.