According to a report from Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance, jumbo mortgage lending hit an estimated $160 billion in the first half of 2015, up 36 percent from the same time last year. The report also states that jumbos accounted for approximately 20 percent of total mortgage originations, close to levels seen before the 2007-2009 economic recession. Jumbo mortgages are defined as those in excess of $417,000 in most of the country and $625,000 in certain high-price neighborhoods. Their use is most prominent in North Carolina, South Carolina, California and Florida.
