If you're in the market for a mortgage, here's what you can do right now to find and qualify for the cheapest possible loan.

Smart move 1. Shop around.

Financing a home is the single biggest financial decision most of us make. You've got to shop for a loan at least as hard as you'd shop for a car, or Caribbean vacation.

Don't take whatever they offer from the bank where you have a checking account or the mortgage broker in a nearby strip mall.

Compare interest rates and fees from dozens of lenders by scouring newspaper ads and Internet sites. Loans offering the lowest rate with fees of $1,000 or less are usually the best deals.

Our extensive database of mortgage rates is a great place to start looking.

Smart move 2. Fix any mistakes on your credit reports.

Your credit score is the single most important factor in determining how much you'll pay for a loan.

That score is based on information pulled from the credit histories maintained by the three, major credit-reporting agencies -- Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

If there are mistakes on your credit report, and those mistakes hurt your credit score, you'll pay the price in the form of a higher interest rate.

Start by obtaining a free copy of your credit reports from each agency at annualcreditreport.com.

Read the reports carefully, and look for any errors. To fix them, start off by noting the errors on a copy of the report. Write a letter to the credit bureau explaining the problems and asking them to investigate. Enclose any proof you have, and send the whole thing by certified mail.

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