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Data through December 2010, released today by Standard & Poor’s for its S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, show that the U.S. National Home Price Index declined by 3.9% during the fourth quarter of 2010.

With the number of people needing mortgage modifications before losing their home, it is essential to know the basics about how to request a modification and some other information. Here are five common questions that troubled homeowners have about mortgage modifications and the answers to those questions.

There was a time when a small down payment or even no down payment at all was good enough for lenders to approve a buyer for a mortgage loan. T

There are many strategies going on these days as people try to get out from under their current mortgages.

Many people think that reverse mortgages are safe. While they are safer than most traditional mortgage products, they are not completely safe from default. There is a large number of senior citizens who have taken out a reverse mortgage and are now in danger of defaulting and getting foreclosed on because of unpaid taxes and unpaid insurance premiums that they are required to pay under their deal with the reverse mortgage agreement.

The internet is one resource you should take advantage of by doing your own research. It is a great way to check the current mortgage rates, search for home prices, look to see which lender offers the best rates, apply for a loan, or find a real estate agent. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), during 2005 nearly 77% of all households used the Internet to conduct their housing search. These sites were primarily used to:

Borrowers have may choices when shopping for the right lender. Choices include banks, mortgage brokers, home builders, and internet lenders. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and rates vary from lender to lender.

Here is some commonly used mortgage terminology.

Mortgage rates differ substantially based on the location of the property and the type of product selected. What follows are therefore indicative rates only. They are just some of the most interesting rates for different mortgage products that are listed and marketed on the internet.

The word mortgage comes from the French word "mort" which means "death". While buying a home main mean financial death to some first time buyers in the current environment, mortgages don't need to be intimidating. Once you understand the products available, finding the best rate is easy.

Here are some commonly used mortgage terms and their meanings.

What's the difference between mortgage prequalification and mortgage preapproval? Which one is better?