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already costly enough without getting raked over the financial coals with your mortgage application. Here are six ways to keep costs in check.

Polish Your Image
Before you apply for a mortgage, check out your credit score. If it's not up to snuff, taking some steps to give it a boost could easily save you thousands in mortgage interest.

Consider this: Folks who have a top score (760 to 850), can get a rate of 5.96% on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage these days, according to Fair Isaac, the firm that creates the risk calculations used to calculate credit scores. A score just a few points lower (759 to 700) will net you a higher rate of 6.18%. For a $250,000 loan, that's a difference of $12,772 in interest over the life of the loan. (Crunch the numbers yourself using our mortgage calculator

The good news? Many folks can increase their credit score significantly in just a few months. To see how, check out our column 7 Ways to Boost Your Credit Score.

Get the Right Loan
Let's face it, there are some wacky mortgage products out there. For more, see our story My, What an Exotic Mortgage You Have

For help with this, see our story What Kind of Loan Should You Get?. You also may want to check out our Fixed or Adjustable? worksheet.

Make a Down Payment of at Least 20%
In this new era of interest-only loans, many home buyers are skipping this advice. But if you can swing it, this is still the way to go. Not only will this provide some equity in your home, but it's also a way to avoid private mortgage insurance, or PMI. (This protects the lender if you default on the loan.) Costs for PMI can be significant over time about $40 a month per $100,000 of the loan, according to estimates by the Federal Trade Commission.

Consider Paying Points

Points are fees lenders charge in exchange for lowering the interest rate, says Ken Markison, senior director of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, a trade organization. A point is equivalent to 1% of the total loan amount, so by paying them you'll lower your monthly payments, but you'll increase your upfront costs substantially.

Granted, this may not be worth it if you don't plan to own the home for very long. Consumer Reports advises against paying points if you plan to live in the house for less than six years. To crunch the numbers yourself, use our Points or No Points? calculator.

Pay Closing Costs Upfront
Wrapping them into your mortgage means you'll end up paying interest on that extra few thousand dollars over the lifetime of the loan, according to Consumer Reports. So pay upfront if you can.

Pay Close Attention to Fees
Fees can easily account for 2% of the total amount borrowed, according to a 2004 report by Consumer Reports. Unfortunately, you can't avoid many of them outright, but you can save money by choosing a lender that's competitive, says Gumbinger.

The tough part? Fees are hardly standard. Not all lenders charge the same fees, or even call them by the same names. Or they might roll a few fees say, your credit report and upfront appraisal into a larger umbrella fee, like an application charge. (See the chart below for common fees and costs.)

Getting concrete information about fees can be tough, but most can be found in what's known as a "good faith estimate," which is a breakdown of the costs associated with a mortgage. Lenders don't have to supply one until you apply, says Gumbinger, but most will if you ask. "A lender who won't be upfront about his fees might not be one you want to do business with," he says. Be sure to ask if the estimate includes all the applicable fees, and how likely the amount is to change between now and closing.

Once you have good faith estimates from the lenders you're considering, compare them side by side. If you come across fees that are unclear or seem inflated, do question the lender, advises Gumbinger. You may be able to reduce the fee or have it waived. For more on this, see our story Cut Those Closing Costs!