Revisiting the subprime crisis: The dual mortgage market and mortgage defaults by race and ethnicity

The impacts of the foreclosure crisis have been widespread, catalyzing the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression and leading to dramatic declines in housing equity and wealth. However, Black and Hispanic households and communities have been disproportionately affected by the crisis, contributing to a tightening of credit standards and a retrenchment of lending in these communities. This study uses a unique, national data set of purchase mortgages originated between 2004 and 2007 to examine the racial and ethnic dimensions of subprime lending practices that were prevalent during the boom and explores the role that these lending practices had on subsequent rates of default. This study thus contributes to the debate on the causes of the housing crisis and its implications for racial inequality in America.