Is her husband's name on the mortgage, just not the deed?
Her husband and mother took out the mortgage and are on the hook for paying it.
It's immaterial whose name is on the deed.
There are so many different types of loans these days, nothing is immpossible. In Kansas, if you are married you can still buy a house on your own, but because you are married, even if your spouse's name is not on the note or the deed, it is still a requirement for that person to be at closing and sign the mortgage and the spouse is owner as well. Hence one can buy, but it takes two to sell.
If a person has excellent credit, they can get a "stated income" loan, or a "no documents" loan. There are also 40 year mortgages and interest only loans. There are as many different species of loans as there are colors in the rainbow
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