Some Banks Ease Mortgage Standards

Getting a home loan or auto loan may become a little easier.

Several big banks have eased lending standards for home mortgages in recent months, according to the Federal Reserve’s most recent quarterly survey of senior loan officers.

Nearly 85 percent of banks said their credit standards on mortgages have remained unchanged for the past three months, but 14 percent have made it easier to qualify for a home loan.

Large banks were more likely than banks overall to loosen mortgage standards.

The survey, released Monday, polled 73 U.S. banks and 23 U.S. operations of foreign banks.

Nearly 8 percent of banks reported having eased their standards for auto loans, with 89 percent saying their standards are basically unchanged.

On the demand side, 68 percent of banks have seen little change in midsize to large companies seeking business loans. But 25 percent are seeing “moderately stronger” demand for business loans.

This article appeared in print in the February 3rd, 2015 edition of Hamodia.