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A significant change during the last several years has been the increasing use of the secondary mortgage market which purchases loans originated by lenders. Savings and loan associations historically made home loans from deposit funds. The loans then remained within that institution until they were paid. As interest rates became increasingly volatile, savings and loans were hesitant to make fixed-rate, 30-year loans in fear that higher rates would turn the loans into liabilities. Another problem focused on liquidity. When loan demand was high and new deposits low, savings and loans were forced to turn away mortgage applicants. The solution was to find a way to sell the old mortgages and use the money to make new ones.

In the past, if a lender wished to sell a mortgage (or group of mortgages), the lender was forced to locate another savings and loan, bank, etc. who agreed to purchase individual loans. Each loan was scrutinized, and many times thrown out for a variety of reasons. Often buyers did not want properties in areas (or towns) or did not like something about the borrower's credit file.

The development of the secondary market allowed lenders to convert a group of like loans to single security instrument which then could be sold just like stocks and bonds. Secondary market groups would review the loans to assure compliance with established guidelines on quality and documentation. The loans would then be exchanged for a guaranteed security. The lender now would hold a guaranteed security as an asset, instead of a dozen individual home mortgages. This security could be easily sold whenever money was needed resulting in improved interest rates and unlimited funds for home loans.