Key Questions:

1. How at risk is Puerto Rico to the subprime mortgage crisis?
   1. There were significantly less subprime loans taken out by home owners in Puerto Rico than the national average in 2006. That is to say, Puerto Rico will be less affected by the subprime mortgage crisis in years to come as a lesser percentage of all mortgages in Puerto Rico - 4.6% 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 Puerto Rico than other areas of the US.
2. How stretched will home owners in Puerto Rico be in paying off their mortgage?
   1. Homeowners in Puerto Rico borrowed an average of 1.75 times their annual income for their mortgage. This compares to 1.83 for all of the US. Based on the national average, there will be a normal risk that Puerto Rico homeowners will default on their mortgage payments in the coming years.
3. Who are the leading lenders in Puerto Rico?
   1. The leading lenders, by market share, are Banco Popular De Puerto Rico, R & G Mortgage Corporation and Popular Mortgage, Inc. Do you have the best rate possible? Get quotes from mortgage lenders.
4. How likely are the owners of homes in Puerto Rico to actually live in them?
   1. 89.5% of home owners in Puerto Rico 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%.