patrick.net

Any of the online sites are going to be a crap shoot. They all basically do the same thing - collect your information to be sold to local lenders as a lead. Since you have the time you are better off going to local banks and brokers until you find one you think you might be able to trust. Once you find one you think you can trust, don't trust them too much.

Get a fully completed good faith estimate and a pre-approval letter with a FANNIE / FREDDIE / FHA approval. Don't let them simply pre-qualify you, that means next to nothing. You want all of the credit, income, and asset documentation checked and verified before you start looking so that all you have to worry about when you find a house is the appraisal and inspections.

I agree with Iggy. These sites make their $ by obtaining your financial information and receiving a referral fee. You'll be hounded with phone calls, etc.

Call around your area and find a lender you like/trust, and become pre-approved. You'll have to apply for the loan, and you'll be approved "subject to.." finding a home within your price range, and your continued good credit at the time of the loan.

Don't trust the on-lines.