WASHINGTON - Could the controversial mortgage industry practice of listing hundreds of local real estate markets as "declining" - and restricting lending through higher down payments or credit scores - be scrapped? The two biggest players in the home mortgage field, Fannie Mae

WASHINGTON - Could the controversial mortgage industry practice of listing hundreds of local real estate markets as "declining" - and restricting lending through higher down payments or credit scores - be scrapped? The two biggest players in the home mortgage field, Fannie Mae

Could the mortgage industry scrap its controversial practice of listing hundreds of local real estate markets as "declining" -- and restricting lending there through higher down payments or credit scores?

DALLAS - Who have better credit scores on average - home buyers with higher or lower incomes? Inside the country's fastest-growing home mortgage program, the surprising answer is: People with lower incomes have slightly higher FICO scores.

Who have better credit scores on average -- home buyers with higher or lower incomes? Inside the country's fastest-growing home mortgage program, the surprising answer is: People with lower incomes have slightly higher FICO scores.

WASHINGTON - Because of a computer error at Sallie Mae, thousands of people with student loans from the company had their credit scores decimated.

Borrowers must ensure that the information maintained by credit bureaus is accurate and up to date. WASHINGTON -- With the resurgence of tighter underwriting standards, some mortgage-market observers have been predicting that lenders would once again rely more on a borrower's overall worthiness and less on credit scores.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Amid deteriorating conditions in some housing markets, Wachovia Corp. on Friday said it will change the way it evaluates potential mortgage borrowers, including requiring minimum credit scores and requiring verification of assets and employment.

Amid deteriorating conditions in some housing markets, Wachovia said Friday that it will change the way it evaluates potential mortgage borrowers, including requiring minimum credit scores and employment verification.

No matter what the Federal Reserve does to grease the credit wheels, it seems that mortgage lending just keeps getting tighter. Lenders are demanding that borrowers have higher credit scores, better proof of their income and assets, and bigger down payments...