It's the same everywhere. If you're a "standard issue" employee with a steady income and a good credit record, you'll get a mortgage (10 years fixed interest rate) for reasonable conditions. Especially with your house as a safety. Even better if you're state employed. Self-employed is a real issue. Even if you have 50 employees and turn over a million each year, banks are going to add a premium to cover their risks. A sketchy setup like FranLab doesn't stand a chance, unless you're desperate and ready to accept completely unreasonable conditions. Hasn't gotten easier after the Lehman Brothers defaulted.