The Mortgage Record research
Data journalism from the federal mortgage record — who gets approved, who gets denied, what it costs, and who the system leaves behind. New analysis every week. Free to read, free to download, free to cite with a link.
The State of New Jersey Mortgage Lending
Our full analysis of 829,794 home-purchase decisions: who gets approved, who gets denied, why, and what it costs.
How New Jersey mortgage denials held steady through the rate shock
Rates went from record lows to 20-year highs between 2020 and 2022. New Jersey purchase approval rates barely moved — volume did the moving.
The best and worst New Jersey counties to get an FHA loan
FHA approval isn't uniform across the state. Here are the New Jersey counties where FHA buyers are approved most — and least — often.
Refinancing in New Jersey: who gets approved and who gets turned down
Refinances follow rates, not seasons. Eight years of New Jersey data show the boom, the collapse, and how refi approval differs from buying.
Which New Jersey lenders consistently price above the market
Controlling for loan-type mix, some New Jersey lenders sit reliably above the market on rate — and others reliably below. Here's the ranking.
Which New Jersey mortgage lenders charge the highest closing costs
On the same loan, some New Jersey lenders charge more than double what others do in fees. We ranked the high-volume lenders on what they actually charged.
Why Cumberland County has New Jersey's highest mortgage denial rate
Cumberland buyers are turned down far more often than the state average. The data points to income, loan mix, and the reasons lenders cite.
FHA, VA, or conventional? How your loan type changes your mortgage odds in New Jersey
Approval rates, denial rates, and pricing differ sharply by loan program. Here's what eight years of New Jersey data shows for each.
The mortgage complaint leaderboard: which companies New Jersey borrowers complain about most
Most mortgage complaints aren't about getting a loan — they're about servicing. These companies drew the most complaints from New Jersey borrowers.
All figures are The Mortgage Record’s analysis of public federal data (HMDA + CFPB), and describe reported outcomes, not predictions. See the methodology.