How Does LendingTree Get Paid? LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
Updated on: May 20th, 2022
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) is a federal law that requires lenders to share their mortgage data so it’s possible to better determine and dismantle credit discrimination practices. Mortgage lenders must gather, maintain and share specific data about the applications they receive and the loans they issue that are for purchasing, refinancing and home improvement.
- What is the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA)?
- Why is HMDA reporting important?
- Where can you find HMDA data?
How does the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) work?
The HMDA was enacted in 1975 to provide the information needed to combat housing discrimination. After the 2008 housing market crash, the Dodd-Frank Act created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and put the HMDA in its care. It also updated the law to require that lenders report a greater amount of data.
What’s included in HMDA reporting?
Every home loan application is recorded in a loan application register (LAR). The data is anonymized and released annually. It includes the following information:
- Loan: Application date, loan type, loan purpose, loan amount and rate spread
- Collateral: Property type and location
- Applicants: Ethnicity, race, gender and gross annual income
- Loan status: Approved, withdrawn or denied
- Denial reason: If the loan was denied, the reason it was denied
Why is HMDA reporting important?
The HDMA only requires that lenders disclose data in a report. HMDA reporting however can then be used to:
- Identify causes of lending discrimination, specifically housing credit descrimination
- Identify, track and better serve the housing needs of communities with public and community investment initiatives
- Recognize predatory lending practices and enforce anti-discrimination statutes
Both government entities — such as the CFPB and the Federal Trade Commission — and the general public review and monitor the data.
Where can you find HMDA data?
There are several ways to find HMDA data:
- The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) manages the HMDA data publication and keeps the most recent years of data on the same page.
- The CFPB has historical HMDA reporting.
- The FFIEC also has older HMDA data products, including charts, graphs and an interactive map.
Resources on fair housing and fair lending
Despite the active policies to counter it, housing discrimination still occurs. Here are further resources if you’d like more information on how to make a complaint, what your rights are and where you can find local help.
Official complaints
This U.S. government page is a guide on how to make official complaints against mortgage lenders, including which agency to contact depending on the reason for your complaint. It also features additional resources, such as an example complaint letter.
Legal information
Here are resources on national laws involving mortgages and housing:
- The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits lending discrimination.
- The Fair Lending Program prohibits lenders from using discriminatory practices.
- The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimiation against people who are looking to rent, purchase or finance a home.
Local agencies
You can also reach out to an agency in your area, such as:
Today's Mortgage Rates
Mortgage Resources
Current Mortgage Rates
Home Loan Calculator
Best Mortgage Lenders
Recommended Reading
Find Out Where Your State Ranks in LendingTree’s Analysis of Monthly Housing Costs
Updated June 15, 2021
LendingTree analysts used Census data to get a full picture of how housing costs can vary in each of the nation’s 50 states.
LendingTree Study Reveals the Top States Where Residents are Staying Put, Moving From and Moving To
Updated November 19, 2019
We found that 88% of people searching for mortgages on the LendingTree platform were looking for mortgages in the same state. Here are some of the key takeaways from our study.
LendingTree Compares Mortgage Rates by State
Updated February 8, 2019
Housing markets can vary significantly across the United States — and so can mortgage terms. LendingTree analyzed mortgage rates by state.
