Six Ways to Improve Your Chances of Getting a Mortgage

Remember how Spring was always the home-buying season? Don't count on that happening this year and you can point the finger, at least in part, at the new lending hoops buyers must jump through. According to MortgageMatch.com, one out of three home buyers will fail to get a mortgage this spring.

Understanding the mortgage process and meeting lenders' more stringent qualification requirements have become big obstacles for applicants, according to a survey the site conducted. Most recent home buyers -- 70% -- described the mortgaging process as more difficult than they expected. And those who bought homes during the bubble years, when mortgage loans were given out like candy at Halloween, are especially shell-shocked by the new lending standards.