China tightens mortgage lending rules to help slow property boom - 2005-03-17
Looking to cool off the sizzling property market, China's central bank on Thursday tightened mortgage lending rules to raise the cost of borrowing for home loans.

The adjustment to preferential mortgage rates, revealed by the People's Bank of China late Wednesday, effectively raised the interest rate on a home loan with a maturity of five years to 5.51 per cent - or 90 per cent of the base rate of 6.12 per cent - from the previous 5.31 per cent.
Read the full story at Canada.com

Teaser mortgage rates near 0 percent - 2005-03-17
Borrowing a page from credit-card companies and carmakers, mortgage lenders are highlighting home loans with rock-bottom introductory rates, in one case, nearly 0 percent.

Most of these loans are option adjustable-rate mortgages, which has an initial rate as low as 1 percent. One key and unusual feature: Borrowers get up to four payment choices each month. But the risks can be considerable and are not always well-understood.
Read the full story at AZ Central.com