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Author(s)

Anthony DeFusco

Andrew Paciorek

This paper provides novel estimates of the interest rate elasticity of mortgage demand by measuring the degree of bunching in response to a discrete jump in interest rates at the conforming loan limit—the maximum loan size eligible for purchase by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The estimates indicate that a 1 percentage point increase in the rate on a 30 year fixed-rate mortgage reduces first mortgage demand by between 2 and 3 percent. One third of this response is driven by borrowers who take out second mortgages, which implies that total mortgage debt only declines by 1.5 to 2 percent.
Date Published: 2017
Citations: DeFusco, Anthony, Andrew Paciorek. 2017. The Interest Rate Elasticity of Mortgage Demand: Evidence from Bunching at the Conforming Loan Limit. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy. (1)210-240.