Complex Mortgages

47 Pages Posted: 3 Dec 2010 Last revised: 20 Dec 2013

See all articles by Gene Amromin

Gene Amromin

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

Jennifer C. Huang

University of Texas at Austin - Department of Finance

Clemens Sialm

University of Texas at Austin - McCombs School of Business; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Edward Zhong

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Multiple version iconThere are 4 versions of this paper

Date Written: December 19, 2013

Abstract

Complex mortgages exhibit deferred amortization and enable households to postpone loan repayment in contrast to fully amortizing traditional mortgages. Unlike the low income population targeted by subprime mortgages, complex mortgages are used by households with high income levels and prime credit scores. We find that complex mortgage borrowers exhibit relatively high propensities to default on their mortgages and to declare personal bankruptcy even after controlling for household and loan characteristics. Our analysis suggests that complex mortgages attract sophisticated borrowers who take on more risks and are more strategic in their default decisions.

Keywords: Mortgage Choice, Housing Crisis, Financial Innovation

JEL Classification: D10, G21, R0

Suggested Citation

Amromin, Gene and Huang, Jennifer Chunyan and Sialm, Clemens and Zhong, Edward, Complex Mortgages (December 19, 2013). FRB of Chicago Working Paper No. 2010-17, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1718485 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1718485

Gene Amromin (Contact Author)

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago ( email )

230 South LaSalle Street
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Jennifer Chunyan Huang

University of Texas at Austin - Department of Finance ( email )

McCombs School of Business, B6600
Austin, TX 78712
United States
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512-471-5073 (Fax)

Clemens Sialm

University of Texas at Austin - McCombs School of Business ( email )

Austin, TX 78712
United States

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.mccombs.utexas.edu/Clemens.Sialm/

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

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Cambridge, MA 02138
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Edward Zhong

University of Wisconsin-Madison ( email )

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Madison, WI 53706
United States

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