home mortgages

When FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair swooped in on Friday and took over IndyMac bank, she became steward to billions of dollars in customer savings deposits.

She also inherited $200 billion worth of home mortgages - a sizable number of which are in trouble.

Interest rates on home mortgages, credit cards and even car loans have been dropping for months. They could fall even more if the Federal Reserve decides to slice short-term rates again when it meets Wednesday.

But before you start shopping for a new car or mortgage, check your credit reports.