Clearly these loans aren't for everyone. Unless you've been disciplined about saving the difference you're setting yourself up for sticker shock at the end of five years.

We've seen a dramatic pickup in these loans since rates starting going up,

If you own your own home free and clear, people will often refer to you as a fool. All that money sitting there, doing nothing.

We love debt in America more so than any other country.

Over the last five years, credit scores have been refined to the point where they are now one of the most important factors for lenders.

[You may be able to get the best deal on rates and closing cots from your current lender.] But don't just call your lender out of the blue, ... See what others are offering and then go to your own lender. They'll dig into their discounts if they feel they are going to lose you as a customer.