Some region bankers put cap on equity loans.

Byline: Chuck Chiang

Jul. 5--Central Oregon bankers are divided on what rising energy costs and flattening home prices in other regions could mean for local consumer loans since those factors could affect people's ability to make their payments.

Riding the national real estate boom the last few years, many people took out home-equity loans to take advantage of their property's increased value. But home values, now cooling in parts of the country, may no longer be able to support loans secured during the boom.

Add stiff energy prices cutting into people's pocketbooks, and many local bankers agree that the scenario could lead to problems.

"All of these are issues that we look at and have to prepare for the best we can," …