Effects of Government Bail-Out on Mortgage Modification
Posted: 1 Jul 2018
There are 2 versions of this paper
Effects of Government Bailouts on Mortgage Modification
Date Written: June 17, 2018
Abstract
This paper shows how liquidity infusions affect loan modification in the mortgage market. The design of pooling and servicing agreements leads mortgage servicers to prefer foreclosure over modification when they are liquidity constrained. Therefore, a positive liquidity shock is expected to boost modification rates. Using a residential mortgage dataset that includes loan-level information, we find that the Troubled Asset Relief Program significantly increased the modification rate. Our findings help us better understand the economic consequences of government intervention and have important policy implications for the renegotiation of distressed mortgages.
Keywords: Mortgage Modification, Financial Crisis, TARP, Government Intervention, Liquidity
JEL Classification: E60, E65, G18, G21, H3
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation