For typical homeowners, the monthly mortgage payment is either their largest or, after income tax, their second-largest expense item. When you're shopping for a mortgage without the proper knowledge, you could easily waste many hours of your time - in addition to the financial losses suffered by not getting the best loan you can. Choosing the right mortgage can help you save money for more important financial goals, such as higher education and retirement.Updated with the very latest on every kind of loan, this friendly, easy-to-understand guide will help you shop for the best home-purchase mortgage, overcome loan qualification obstacles, negotiate lower loan fees and closing costs, save for refinancing the house, or increase retirement income with a reverse mortgage. You can also determine your borrowing power, find the best lender and options, and avoid fiscal pitfalls.