Changes in the real estate and mortgage markets have prompted many, including many in the media, to wonder, "Can you get a loan today?" For an answer to this important question, YOU Magazine turned to Barry Habib, an expert in the mortgage-backed securities market. Chairman of Mortgage Success Source and founder of Mortgage Market Guide, Mr. Habib has managed a hedge fund, authored a stock advisory newsletter, owned an insurance agency, and has been an avid real estate investor for many years.

Habib says that, yes, you can get a mortgage in today's market, but you have to understand that lenders have returned to a pre-2000 mindset – a kind of "common-sense lending" that seeks long-term success versus short-term profits. There's plenty of money available, says Habib, but your mortgage must make sense in today's terms, not the looser standards permitted by lenders in 2000 and 2001.

How Did We Get Here?
In 2000 and 2001, real estate was hot – make that white hot. According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Composite 10 Index, an index that follows home prices, values increased 21.5% from the years 1990-1999. During the first two years of this decade alone, home prices increased 23.6% for the same index. This resulted in a period of wildly loose lending guidelines that would ultimately fuel the subprime mortgage collapse in 2008.

In retrospect, it's easy to see, and even understand, the mistakes that were made during this unusual period of growth. Rapidly escalating home prices not only eased economic and personal financial woes, they invited opportunity and risk whose rewards, while hard to resist, couldn't possibly be sustained at such a high level. Nonetheless, increasing equity created flexibility that benefitted buyers and sellers alike – as long as property values continued to ascend.

During this time, borrowers with no jobs, no down payments, and poor credit histories could easily obtain financing. A host of exotic mortgage products flooded the market. And even if a borrower got into trouble, there was a multitude of options to help him or her climb out of the hole, including refinancing or even selling the property. A lot of people made a lot of money during this time.

But, as the real estate market began to turn and the economy began to suffer, home values slowed and then ground to a halt, and the true risk in the market was exposed. No longer supported by skyrocketing home values, borrowers had fewer options, lending guidelines tightened, adjustable rates adjusted, resulting in a crash in the market that is only now just beginning to turn.

What Does This Mean to Borrowers Today?
Simply put, home lending has returned to what insiders call a "full-doc world." This means lenders need proof, documented evidence that a borrower is creditworthy and likely to repay the loan. This creditworthiness is based on the four tenets of lending: the borrower's ability to pay, willingness to pay, equity in the transaction, and the property itself.

Ability to Pay
This is the documentation portion of the equation. In determining one's ability to repay a loan, it is now common for a lender to ask for recent paystubs, W-2s, and possibly tax returns in the case of a salaried employee. For self-employed borrowers and those earning commissions, tax returns for the two most recent years and a profit and loss statement for the current calendar year will likely be required. While certain exceptions may be granted, potential borrowers can further increase their chances of securing a mortgage by keeping their debt-to-income level below 45%.

Willingness to Pay
Repercussions of the credit crisis have made FICO scores more important than ever to lenders. In order to obtain the best interest rate and have a broader selection of loan programs from which to choose, potential borrowers should strive to keep their FICO score above 720.

Borrowers whose scores fall below 720 where the loan will be sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can expect risk-based pricing, which could result in either higher costs or higher rates. So, while it is possible to get a loan with scores as low as 620, programs other than Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are probably the best path for a borrower with a lower score to take.

Equity in the Transaction
With the exception of mortgage programs guaranteed by the USDA and VA, no-down-payment loans have pretty much evaporated on a national level. Today it is expected that borrowers put a minimum of 3.5% down for an FHA loan and 5%-10% down for agency loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

If someone is strapped for cash, however, it is still possible in the purchase contract to negotiate with the seller to pay a percentage of the closing costs, as long as it's within the program's limitations and the property appraises highly enough for this action to be permitted.

With the exception of the President's Home Stability Plan, it is no longer possible to refinance a loan without equity in the property. However, under this plan, millions of homeowners are expected to be able to take advantage of being able to refinance at a loan-to-value of up to 105% of the appraised value.

Cash-out refinancing has also been tightened, compared to just a few years ago. While pulling equity out of a home is still possible, the costs to do so have become more expensive for homes with a higher loan-to-value. Depending on the program, cash-out transactions have generally been limited to a maximum of 85% of the home's appraised value.

The Property
Home appraisals are also being more scrutinized today to ensure the value of the home is both fair and realistic for lender and borrower alike. On May 1st, new legislation (Home Value Code of Conduct or HVCC) placed a barrier between loan originators and appraisers for loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (legislation does not affect mortgages guaranteed by the FHA, USDA or VA.)

For those loans impacted by HVCC, all parties involved should be prepared for potential delays. If value conflicts occur, sellers, buyers, homeowners, and real estate agents must be prepared to provide information where needed.

In locations of the country where property values have been in significant decline, additional documentation may be required by the appraiser to help the lender justify the appraised value.

In Summary
Yes, getting a mortgage may be more difficult than it was a few years ago, but don't assume that you can't get one.

Reports suggest that over $2.7 trillion in loans will be originated in 2009 – that's over $1 trillion more than 2008. Contact the professional who supplied you with your copy of YOU Magazine. With interest rates at or near all time lows, lower home prices, and the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers, it's worth the time and effort to find out if you can benefit from common-sense lending in today's real estate market.