Mortgages are generally referred to as conventional mortgages if they are supported and backed by the credit guidelines of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. These are the government sponsored private corporations which set the standards and guidelines for most originated mortgages in the country today. Examples of non-conventional mortgages would be VA loans, FHA loans, and Jumbo loans where the loan amount exceeds the maximum allowed for that county by Fannie and Freddie.