Getting a Mortgage Is Harder These Days

May 17, 2007 — -- Looking for a mortgage these days?

Be prepared to show more documents and jump through more hoops as banks tighten their standards after the fallout from the subprime market.

That's not to say that it's necessarily harder to get a mortgage these days for people with good credit.

Banks and other lenders are just requiring more verification of income and assets before giving the final sign off on a loan.

"If you are the prime borrower, you'll still be able to get credit. There's plenty of capital available out there. The terms will probably be a little tighter but not dramatically so," said Doug Duncan, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, an industry trade group.

However, those whose credit isn't so good might run into some problems.

"Clearly, in the subprime space things are tightened up. There is no doubt about that," Duncan said. "Some borrowers who a year ago would have gotten a loan, today won't be able to get a loan."

Lenders in that subprime market expect business to fall off by 30 percent to 50 percent, Duncan said. The association's own forecast projects a 30 percent decline.

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke about the subprime market Thursday in Chicago.

"We believe the effect of the troubles in the subprime sector on the broader housing market will likely be limited, and we do not expect significant spillovers from the subprime market to the rest of the economy or to the financial system," Bernanke said. "The vast majority of mortgages, including even subprime mortgages, continue to perform well."

Bernanke added, "We at the Federal Reserve will do all that we can to prevent fraud and abusive lending and to ensure that lenders employ sound underwriting practices and make effective disclosures to consumers. At the same time, we must be careful not to inadvertently suppress responsible lending or eliminate refinancing opportunities for subprime borrowers."

Duncan had several tips for potential borrowers.