Transunion

Despite rising home prices and a market where many older homeowners are loath to sell, home equity line of credit lending remains muted in all but one corner of the industry: credit unions.

Borrowers with variable-rate debt affected by Federal Reserve rate hikes showed they could handle December's 25-basis-point increase, but that could be changing as short-term rates continue to rise.

As financial institutions look closer at the increasingly detailed consumer credit data available, they are learning consumers are more apt to pay off personal loans before mortgages, auto loans and credit cards.