Utah Leads The Nation In Home Improvement Loans

An average of 361 home improvement loans originated for every 100,000 owner-occupied houses, according to a new data report by LendingTree (NASDAQ: TREE). Also on average, 77.8% of new home improvement loans across the 50 states are second-lien mortgages.

And among the 50 states, Utah leads the nation for home improvement loans. LendingTree noted there are roughly 2.5 million owner-occupied housing units in Utah, which has recorded 818.7 home improvement loans for every 100,000 owner-occupied housing units. Among these home improvement loans, 90.3% are second-lien mortgages and 9.7% are first-lien mortgages.

The overall average loan amount for Utah’s home improvement loans is $117,835 and the overall average monthly payment for these loans is $1,063.

LendingTree’s Senior Economist Jacob Channel didn’t offer an explanation on why the Beehive State is also the Home Improvement Loan State, although he had mixed feelings about the loan product.

“Though they aren’t without drawbacks, home improvement loans can help qualified and responsible homeowners keep their homes in good shape and otherwise easy to live in,” he stated. “That said, homeowners shouldn’t rush to get a home improvement loan until they fully understand what they’re getting themselves into and are reasonably certain that they can pay back whatever they borrow.”