Mortgage assumption allows a borrower to transfer both the property and the outstanding balance of their mortgage to a new homebuyer. Assumption of a loan has value when the note rate is below prevailing market rates. However, assumptions also create risk for lenders and insurers. This paper...

Rural homeownership is promoted in the United States by mortgage insurance programs administered by the federal government. We analyze the choice between assistance offered by two such agencies: the Federal Housing Administration and the Rural Housing Service. We find applicants are sensitive to...

Using information on mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration, this article examines the disproportionate decline in collateral values associated with reverse mortgages. Properties securing reverse mortgages sell at a sharp discount in foreclosure relative to similar properties...

This paper examines the shift in how Federal Housing Administration collateral valuations were conducted in the mid-1990s. Moving from assignment of appraisers by Department of Housing and Urban Development field offices to selection by lenders did not increase the speed of valuations. However,...

A dramatic decline in the maximum loan amount eligible for FHA mortgage insurance in the Salt Lake City metropolitan statistical area between 2013 and 2014 provides a natural experiment in the impact of borrowing constraints on housing decisions. Using a differences-in-differences design within...

The financial health of the mortgage insurance industry is vital for the flow of mortgage credit to low wealth borrowers. Private mortgage insurance competes with insurance offered through the federal government, particularly the Federal Housing Administration. This paper employs a Heckman...

Mortgage insurance compensates lenders for losses in the event of default by borrowers. Whether offered by private mortgage insurance companies or the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), mortgage insurance is often required for borrowers with insufficient wealth for a large downpayment in...