Even with the mortgage brokers/bankers being crooks, in the end, the home buyer/mortgagee signed the promissory note in light of their income and all other living expenses.

We've met people many times who told us that when they got pre-qualified to buy a home, they were told by lenders that they could afford a house tens and hundreds of thousands more than they KNEW they could afford. They had the sense and morals to not sign onto so much mortgage debt as the lenders were luring them into.

The old adage, "Buyer beware" still applies, in any lender/borrower transaction!