Key Questions:

1. How at risk is Santa Barbara, California to the subprime mortgage crisis?
   1. There were significantly less subprime loans taken out by home owners in Santa Barbara, California than the national average in 2006. That is to say, Santa Barbara, California will be less affected by the subprime mortgage crisis in years to come as a lesser percentage of all mortgages in Santa Barbara, California - 8.0% versus 12.0% - will reset to higher rates in 2008. This will mean that there will be less foreclosures caused by the reseting of subprime mortgages in Santa Barbara, California than other areas of the US.
2. How stretched will home owners in Santa Barbara, California be in paying off their mortgage?
   1. Homeowners in Santa Barbara, California borrowed an average of 2.41 times their annual income for their mortgage. This compares to 1.83 for all of the US. Based on the national average, a signficantly higher risk that Santa Barbara, California homeowners will default on their mortgage payments in the coming years.
3. Who are the leading lenders in Santa Barbara, California?
   1. The leading lenders, by market share, are Countrywide Home Loans, Washington Mutual Bank and Countrywide Bank, N.A.. Do you have the best rate possible? Get quotes from mortgage lenders.
4. How likely are the owners of homes in Santa Barbara, California to actually live in them?
   1. 88.9% of home owners in Santa Barbara, California that applied for a mortgage in 2006 live in their homes versus owning them as an investment property. This compares to the national average of 89.0%.