Countrywide still the leading mortgage lender

Countrywide Financial Corp. is still country's leading residential mortgage lender.

In 2007, Countrywide (NYSE: CFC) had originated mortgages for $408.2 billion but it was down to what it originated in 2006. In 2006 it had originated $462.5 billion.

We look at the other leading originators last year:

In the ranking at number 2 was Wells Fargo & Co. & it had originated mortgage loans to the tune of $272 billion. Similar to Countrywide, the loan origination was down from what it was in 2006 - $398 billion.

Last year at number 3 spot was JP Morgan Chase & Co. with $207.7 billion in mortgage loan originations. It has been an improvement from 2006, when loan origination was $171 billion.

At number 4 was the Corp. which purchased Countrywide; Bank of America Corp. & it had mortgage loan originations for $188.6 billion, improvement from 2006 when it was at $166.3 billion.

Next at 5th position was Citigroup Inc., with originations up from $142.1 billion in 2006 to $151.9 billion.