Assuming you're in the US and haven't already bought a first home, the First Time Homebuyer Act and other similar smaller (state level) programs generally combine to make it stupid easy for you to get a loan. However, just cuz it's easy, doesn't mean you should. If house prices go down it'll become (more of) a buyer's market. The banks only became more strict about lending standards after the housing crisis and the issues with their lending practices became apparent - I don't think it was so much due to the housing prices going down as much as both of those 2 events happening concurrently as a result of the bigger issues going on in the economy at the time. Honestly, if housing prices go down, it should be easier to get a loan because you'd need a smaller one.