A new study suggests that more upper-income borrowers and more whites took out subprime loans than any other groups.

Compliance Technologies, a lending-industry consultancy, last month analyzed more than 1.9 million subprime loans originated in 2006, the height of the subprime lending frenzy, and found that roughly 56 percent went to non-Hispanic whites. Affluent borrowers, those with annual income at least 120 percent of their given area’s median income, meanwhile, took out more than 39 percent of the loans.

“I was surprised to see that non-Hispanic whites received more subprime loans than all minority groups combined,” said Maurice Jourdain-Earl, a founder and managing director of Compliance Technologies.

Read the full Subprime Loans’ Wide Reach story

If you are behind on mortgage payments, a Bank REO Foreclosure is not inevitable despite your current financial situation. Some people may scare you into taking action you do not need to take, so learn all of the facts behind a home Bank REO Foreclosure before proceeding. What you know can help you, while ignorance of the various options available can definitely harm you.

You may be in financial trouble and behind on mortgage payments. If so, time is working against you therefore immediate action on your part is necessary in order to avoid Bank REO Foreclosure.

One thing to keep in mind throughout your current troubles is that communication is essential. Chiefly, communicating with your mortgage company about your current state of affairs can only help you. Ignoring warnings or spurring phone calls will give the appearance that you are avoiding your obligation. Therefore, as soon as trouble crops up notifying your lender of your financial condition is an important first step to take.

Once your lender knows about your financial condition, then a whole world of options could be opened up to help you avoid Bank REO Foreclosure. These can include:

Deferring payments for several months until your financial condition improves. Especially if you have equity in the home, a lender could be receptive to this option. Essentially, the missed payments would be added to the end of your loan, extending out your term accordingly.

Rewriting your loan favorably. Perhaps your original loan agreement required you to make higher payments after three or four years time. Despite financial difficulties you may be eligible for a new fixed rate mortgage at a lower rate.

Again, communicating with the lender can only serve to help you. They stand to lose thousands of dollars if you default, therefore anything they can do to possibly help you will ultimately help them.

What if your financial situation is so dire, that no loan extension or loan rewrite can possibly help out? Well, it could buy you a bit more time to try to sell your home before your mortgage company proceeds with a Bank REO Foreclosure. Because you communicated with the mortgage company about your financial plight, they will be on your side as you seek a buyer. Instead of pushing through with a Bank REO Foreclosure your mortgage broker may be receptive to your attempt to sell the home.

If a buyer steps forth with a good offer, you could be freed from your obligation and the mortgage company will satisfied with a transaction that looked upon favorably.

Jeff Lakie is an accomplished Webmaster and publisher of The Foreclosure Guide where he provides information on Foreclosure Help Loan Stop . Why not stop by and see what Jeff has to say on the subject.