Key Questions:

1. How at risk is West Virginia to the subprime mortgage crisis?
   1. Loans taken out by home owners in West Virginia are within a +/- 10 percent band of the national average. That is to say, West Virginia will likely be affected by the subprime mortgage crisis just like the average county in the US.
2. How stretched will home owners in West Virginia be in paying off their mortgage?
   1. Homeowners in West Virginia borrowed an average of 1.46 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 West Virginia homeowners will default on their mortgage payments in the coming years.
3. Who are the leading lenders in West Virginia?
   1. The leading lenders, by market share, are Branch Banking And Trust Co, Beneficial Company Llc and Countrywide Home Loans. Do you have the best rate possible? Get quotes from mortgage lenders.
4. How likely are the owners of homes in West Virginia to actually live in them?
   1. 91.0% of home owners in West Virginia 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%.