Late payments this year are going up among all borrowers, good credit or bad. This explosion began in the riskiest loans, the sub-prime sector, but the wreckage is growing. The nation's mortgage trouble is spreading. What's the way out of trouble for ... Online mortgage applications are quick. An online application form takes about four minutes of your time filling it up. Approval can then be given within 24 hours. This is a far cry from the several business days it usually takes for traditional mortgage applications to be approved. In this regard, online mortgages are less time-consuming and even initially paper-free.