Financing is also becoming scarce, a quarterly survey ...US Housing Starts Fall to 17-Year Low, Permits Drop (Update1)Bloomberg -12 minutes agoA third of all sales were foreclosures or ``short sales,'' in which lenders take a loss on a property. To make sure that you're getting the best mortgage rate available in the market, it is important that you also obtain all information on important costs involved. Getting the best mortgage rate is knowing how much of a down payment you can afford. Aside from that, getting the best mortgage rate is knowing what is the interest rate of your loan.