WASHINGTON (AP) — A larger share of banks has made it more difficult for people to obtain home mortgages over the last three months even as demand has grown, the Federal Reserve reported Monday.
The Fed’s new quarterly survey found that about 50 percent of U.S. banks tightened their lending standards on prime mortgages, up from about 45 percent in the survey issued in early February.
Meanwhile, 65 percent of banks said they tightened standards on nontraditional mortgages, such as adjustable-rate loans with multiple payment options. That was up from 50 percent in the last survey.
“Even if you had a stellar credit history, banks were reluctant to lend in this environment,” said Richard Yamarone, economist at Argus Research. With unemployment rising, it raises the odds of more people defaulting on their mortgages, he said.
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