This chapter considers the structure of mortgage finance in the U.S., and its role in shaping patterns of homeownership … the design features of mortgage contracts that distinguish them from other loans, and that have important implications for … issues presented in the rest of the chapter. We then explain how mortgage finance interacts with public policy, particularly …

mortgage is therefore critical to financial well-being but households often make costly mistakes. We collect data in an online … survey to test borrowers' comfort with, and understanding of, mortgage debt. We analyze the impact of financial literacy …, mortgage broker advice and whether the loan is framed as a lump sum debt or an equivalent stream of repayments. We conjecture …