The primary reason to consider a 20% down payment is that, if you have a conventional mortgage loan, that's what you need in order to avoid private mortgage insurance. There's no right amount to ...

Caroline Basile is Forbes Advisor’s student loans and mortgages deputy editor. With experience in both the mortgage industry and as a journalist, she was previously an editor with HousingWire ...

Pay your bills in full and on time each month, look for any errors on your credit report and avoid applying for other loans or credit cards too close to your mortgage or refinance application.