The biggest Internet lead generator in the home lending industry says it’s enhancing the quality of its leads by tapping into credit scores generated by its parent company, Experian.

LowerMyBills.com says its “premier quality” leads enable lenders to target borrowers with lower credit scores and sell them more profitable, higher-cost loans. 

Acquired by Experian in May 2005, LowerMyBills.com has experienced slower growth in the first half of 2006, in part because of contraction at a major client, Ameriquest Mortgage Co., according to an interim financial report released Tuesday.

The Supreme Court this week will hear arguments in a case that could limit the power of states to impose their own stricter standards on the mortgage lending subsidiaries of federally chartered banks.

The case, Watters v. Wachovia Bank, began as a dispute between Michigan regulators and Wachovia Bank. Wachovia argued that its state-chartered Wachovia Mortgage subsidiary was subject to regulation only by the federal government, through the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC).

The OCC in 2001 ruled that federal law preempts states from regulating state-chartered subsidiaries of national banks. Wachovia has prevailed in District and Circuit Court decisions, and in cases involving other banks courts have stood behind the OCC’s interpretation of the National Banking Act.

Neighboroo.com digs far deeper than “red state” or “blue state” in mapping statistics for a given area.

The Web site presents vast volumes of U.S. public data in color-coded interactive maps that are powered by the Google Maps platform. Users can search in a specific area for information about home prices, apartment rental prices, cost of living, commute time, and other demographic data. There are plans to add property tax information, too.

Other information at the site includes political affiliation, racial composition, population density, unemployment, tax rates, household income, elementary school rank, crime, and lifestyle. Areas on the map are color-coded based on the statistical data for that area. Users can also view the maps as satellite imagery.