A rising tide of late payments and home foreclosures poses considerable dangers to the national economy, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has warned, and he has urged Congress to take additional steps to alleviate the problems. Some 1.5 ... Loans that aren't insured by the government are called conventional mortgages. The government-insured loans may be more attractive in terms of low down payment requirements but they may be more restrictive. The main advantage of applying for online mortgages is their convenience.