While lending has been tight in many parts of the country, some markets are definitely more robust than others. Forbes compiled a list of the best cities for borrowers — ranking by effective mortgage rates (including up-front fees), homes in foreclosure, and mortgages with 90-day delinquencies. Lending is less restricted in areas with fewer borrowers in default, Forbes said.

While lending has been tight in many parts of the country, some markets are definitely more robust than others. Forbes compiled a list of the best cities for borrowers — ranking by effective mortgage rates (including up-front fees), homes in foreclosure, and mortgages with 90-day delinquencies. Lending is less restricted in areas with fewer borrowers in default, Forbes said. 

"Availability of credit is a big driver of home demand," Steve Berg, managing director in applied analytics for Lender Processing Services, told Forbes. LPS supplied some of the data for the rankings.

"You can want a house really badly, but if you can’t get the money to borrow, that’s going to be a problem for most people."

The healthiest marekts tended to have rising home prices as well, the magazine said.

Here are Forbes’ top 10 metro areas:

1. Kansas City

Average effective home mortgage rate: 4.94 percent

Mortgages 90-plus days delinquent in January 2010: 4 percent

Foreclosures in January 2010: 1.5 percent

2. Houston

Mortgage rate: 5.03 percent

Delinquency rate: 4.4 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.5 percent

3. Dallas

Mortgage rate: 5.06 percent

Delinquency rate: 4.3 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.5 percent

4. Virginia Beach, Va.

Mortgage rate: 5.06 percent

Delinquency rate: 3.9 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.4 percent

5. San Antonio, Texas

Mortgage rate: 5.12 percent

Delinquency rate: 3.9 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.3 percent

6. Boston

Mortgage rate: 4.78 percent

Delinquency rate: 4.1 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.9 percent

7. Pittsburgh

Mortgage rate: 5.14 percent

Delinquency rate: 3.5 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.8 percent

8. Seattle (tie)

Mortgage rate: 5 percent

Delinquency rate: 4.66 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.43 percent

8. Denver (tie)

Mortgage rate: 5.12 percent

Delinquency rate: 3.5 percent

Share of foreclosures: 2 percent

10. Portland, Ore.

Mortgage rate: 5.03 percent

Delinquency rate: 3.63 percent

Share of foreclosures: 1.86 percent

 

***

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