The number of mortgage lenders in the United States of America is far too great to list all of them here. However, several nationwide lending institutions stand out from the rest in terms of how much loan funding they provide. Some of them are the result of mergers or acquisitions combining multiple formerly-separate companies. The following is an alphabetically listed overview of the major lenders based in America:

BANK OF AMERICA: In addition to being a major mortgage lender, it offers other types of loans, various kinds of insurance, and checking/savings accounts. Wikipedia.org indicates that Bank of America is larger than any other commercial bank in the U.S., is based in North Carolina, and has acquired several other major lenders in recent years.

CITIGROUP: Also known as “Citi”, Citigroup Inc. provides home mortgages through its CitiMortgage brand. Residential loan options include adjustable (5-year or 1-year) and fixed (30-year or 15-year) rates. It also offers the Diners Club credit card, checking/savings accounts, and a wide variety of other services listed on its web site.

COUNTRYWIDE FINANCIAL: This major lender has been heavily impacted by the subprime mortgage crisis, with many layoffs occurring in 2007. According to their web site, Countrywide is the top lender in America, and was founded in 1969; its IPO occurred only a half year later. Its money market accounts and CDs are less well-known than its mortgage offerings, which are the company’s primary function.

JPMORGAN CHASE: The web site of JPMorgan Chase & Co. indicates that it is based in New York and has over 170 thousand employees. The corporation’s home mortgage services are offered through its Chase brand name. According to wikipedia.org, JPMorgan Chase was formed after the Chemical Banking Corporation’s acquisition of major banks Chase Manhattan and J.P. Morgan.

WELLS FARGO: A press release issued by MortgageDaily.com in January, 2008 indicated that Wells Fargo funded the second largest amount of mortgages during the previous year; more than all other lenders except Countrywide. According to its web site, Wells Fargo is based in San Francisco and has over 5,900 locations throughout America and other regions. It also offers credit cards, checking accounts, and additional services.

Other major lenders in America include Washington Mutual, Sovereign Bank, and Wachovia. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are of great significance to this sector, but do not provide loans directly to home owners. Many smaller lenders are considered to have a major role locally or regionally. Although the above-mentioned lenders are based in America, many of them have a worldwide presence as well.