Lucy in the news of course the bank will not lower your rate.That is part of this whole bank scam.Take your money down,keep you at a high interest rate and then throw you out so they can do it again to the next victim.I have an idea.You can do what I did maybe.When I was 20yrs old I signed into a land contract on a beautiful peace of land on the river.I did not have the credit to get a loan to build a home.I pulled permits to build one anyway.I saved my money and had a walkout basement poured. I did as much work as I could myself to save money.When you get the basement done put a floor on it.You do not need to finish the top floor.Buy a piece of rubber roofing and dry in the floor which will be your basement roof until you can afford to build your upper level.I know this is not supposed to be legal but if you follow the rules they set for you,you will never get ahead.It took me 3yrs.to build my first house.My permits expired and everything I did not care.What were they going to do come and throw me out? I do not think so.I am not a friendly sort.You must be willjing to break a few rules you must sacrifice comfort.It will pay off in the long run.When my basement was being poured I lived in my car.I could have moved back home with my mother,but my pride would never let me do that so I stayed in my car finished off my basement and moved in with no occupancy permit.I finished it 3 yrs. later with no mortgage payment.I only spent 60,000 dollars but the home is now valued at 165,000 dollars.I am now 39 yrs old I have repeated this five times.I own all five homes.I rent three of them out and occupy the other two.When I did my first house I had to buy a book to learn from anyone can do it.Do not worry about being in a nice home and keeping up with the Jones's.Make the sacrifice now and you will benifit later.I was single with no kids so it was easier than what it would have been with them.I helped two of my friends do the same thing while their families stayed in Apartments.They both own their own homes with no payment.You can do it.