Rural Borrowers Fall Prey to Unscrupulous Lenders, New Research Finds
DURHAM, NC -- New research by the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) finds that predatory mortgage lending is a significant problem in rural America that hinders borrowers from taking advantage of improving credit or interest rate declines. Perceived as an urban problem by many, certain abusive lending practices are more prevalent in rural areas than in cities. Rural borrowers are 20 percent more likely than their urban counterparts to receive a prepayment penalty that remains effective for five years or more on subprime mortgage loans. A prepayment penalty is a fee charged by a lender when