According to the Federal Reserve, the Great Recession officially ended in 2009. Now, four years later, loans.org released a snapshot of the lending industry's current state when compared to what it was during the thick of our recent economic meltdown. 

Perhaps the biggest victim of all lending-related industries was the housing sector. While loans.org's report shows the total value of home mortgage loans is still on the decline, the rate at which that total value is declining has slowed drastically.

"Real estate and mortgage markets have taken years to recover, and select markets are still in the process of recovery," FDIC spokesman David Barr told loans.org.

But not all sectors of the lending industry are still hurting.

According to the report, as of 2012, the total value of business loans lent rose by nearly half a billion dollars when compared to two years prior. Barr attributes this success to the fact that commercial borrowers were able to repair their balance sheets early on.

"As a result, by 2012, banks were able to increase commercial and industrial loans," he said.

A rise in commercial loans hints at a strengthening job market, which is necessary for any successful economic recovery.

Even the number of individual loans, which refers to personal loans used by the general public, rose dramatically following the recession's peak years. While the value lent hit a low of $1.05 billion in 2009, the study found that the value rose to nearly $1.33 billion in 2012.

To read the full study, complete with graphs and interviews, visit http://loans.org/personal/research/banks-lending-four-years-recession.