Key Questions:

1. How at risk is Washington to the subprime mortgage crisis?
   1. Subprime loans taken out by home owners in Washington were meaningfully less than the national average in 2006. That is to say, Washington will likely be less affected by the subprime mortgage crisis in years to come as a lesser percentage of all mortgages in Washington - 10.6% versus 12.0% - will reset to higher rates in 2008.
2. How stretched will home owners in Washington be in paying off their mortgage?
   1. Homeowners in Washington borrowed an average of 1.99 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 Washington homeowners will default on their mortgage payments in the coming years.
3. Who are the leading lenders in Washington?
   1. The leading lenders, by market share, are Countrywide Home Loans, Wells Fargo Bank, Na and Washington Mutual Bank. Do you have the best rate possible? Get quotes from mortgage lenders.
4. How likely are the owners of homes in Washington to actually live in them?
   1. 89.9% of home owners in Washington 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%.