Key Questions:

1. Who are the leading lenders in Kern, California?
   1. The leading lenders, by market share, are Countrywide Bank, Fsb, Jpmorgan Chase Bank, Na and Wells Fargo Bank, Na. Do you have the best rate possible? Find out your credit score or browse
2. How stretched will home owners in Kern, California be in paying off their mortgage?
   1. Homeowners in Kern, California borrowed an average of 2.09 times their annual income for their mortgage. This compares to 1.97 for all of the US. Based on the national average, there will be a normal risk that Kern, California homeowners will default on their mortgage payments in the coming years.
3. How likely are the owners of homes in Kern, California to actually live in them?
   1. 87.6% of home owners in Kern, California that applied for a mortgage in 2008 live in their homes versus owning them as an investment property. This compares to the national average of 90.0%.
4. How at risk is Kern, California to the subprime mortgage crisis?
   1. Subprime loans taken out by home owners in Kern, California were meaningfully less than the national average in 2008. That is to say, Kern, California will likely be less affected by the subprime mortgage crisis in years to come as a lesser percentage of all mortgages in Kern, California - 3.6% versus 4.8% - will reset to higher rates in 2009.