A conventional mortgage, also called a conventional loan, is a loan for a home buyer that isn't offered or backed by the government. It can be gotten from a private lender or backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, two government-backed companies.

A VA loan is a mortgage that is available through a program run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. VA loans are available to active service members, veterans, and their surviving spouses. The federal government backs these loans, but they …

A jumbo loan, also called a jumbo mortgage, is a home loan for more than the "conforming loan limit" that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that buy and manage most single-family home mortgages in the U.S., set …