Key Questions:

1. Who are the leading lenders in Cowlitz, Washington?
   1. The leading lenders, by market share, are National City Bank, Countrywide Bank, Fsb and Jpmorgan Chase Bank, Na. Do you have the best rate possible? Find out your credit score or browse
2. How stretched will home owners in Cowlitz, Washington be in paying off their mortgage?
   1. Homeowners in Cowlitz, Washington borrowed an average of 2.26 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 Cowlitz, Washington homeowners will default on their mortgage payments in the coming years.
3. How likely are the owners of homes in Cowlitz, Washington to actually live in them?
   1. 92.2% of home owners in Cowlitz, Washington 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 Cowlitz, Washington to the subprime mortgage crisis?
   1. Subprime loans taken out by home owners in Cowlitz, Washington were meaningfully less than the national average in 2008. That is to say, Cowlitz, Washington will likely be less affected by the subprime mortgage crisis in years to come as a lesser percentage of all mortgages in Cowlitz, Washington - 3.8% versus 4.8% - will reset to higher rates in 2009.