A 2nd mortgage and a home equity loan are basically the same type of financing. Both can cash out part of your homes equity, require paying application fees, and have a variety of term options. The only difference is that you can use a ... When shopping for home mortgage loans, you should have a basic idea on what to look for in a loan. Keep in mind a few things that would serve as your eligibility criteria for a home mortgage. For example, what types of loans are available from a given institution?