ResidentialMortgage Lending in 2016: Evidence from the HomeMortgage Disclosure Act Data

This article provides an overview of residential mortgage lending in 2016 and discusses a number of changes in mortgage market activity over time based on data reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act of 1975 (HMDA).Mortgage debt is by far the largest component of household debt in the US, and mortgage transactions can have important implications for households' financial well-being. The HMDA data are the most comprehensive source of publicly available information on the US mortgage market, providing unique details on how much mortgage credit gets extended each year, who obtains this credit, and which institutions provide this credit. HMDA requires most mortgage lending institutions with offices in metropolitan areas to disclose to the public detailed information about their home-lending activity each year.