Posted by Leonard Steinberg on December 3rd, 2012

A recent survey shows that one in three US consumers would consider a mortgage by retail giant WALMART. The study shows consumers are willing to try alternative lenders as borrowers focus on price, customer service and trust in their provider when selecting a mortgage, said Doug Hautop, lending practice lead at the Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting Group, which conducted the survey.

If  WALMART were to get into the mortgage game, they could pose a significant threat to the banking industry. The four leading Walton heirs are personally worth over $ 107 billion combined, significantly more than Bill Gates or Carlos Slim, the most talked-about billionaires. WALMART operates 10,524 stores throughout the world and has annual sales in excess of $ 440 billion…..about as large as the total GDP of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Sweden or Austria.

Would WALMART finance high priced properties like those found in New York City? It seems doubtful, yet who would have thought 5 years ago that Walmart would have an organic produce section to rival those found at some Whole Foods stores?