Research Department Working Papers
Financial Technology and the 1990s Housing Boom
This paper shows that locations exposed to initial adopters of Freddie Mac’s Loan Prospector system experienced an early housing boom due to a switch to statistically-informed underwriting rules.
January 17, 2025
Research Department Working Papers
Climate Risk, Insurance Premiums and the Effects on Mortgage and Credit Outcomes
As climate change exacerbates natural disasters, homeowners’ insurance premiums are rising dramatically. This paper examines the impact of premium increases on borrowers’ mortgage and credit outcomes using new data on home insurance policies for 6.7 million borrowers.
January 16, 2025
Research Department Working Papers
The Impact of Labels on Real Asset Valuations
This paper shows that neighborhood labels, frequently used in realtors’ property descriptions, have a causal impact on the demand for housing.
January 15, 2025
Inflation stress and concern remain elevated despite stabilizing prices
Despite consumer price inflation falling considerably since peaking in 2022, household inflation-related stress and concern remain elevated, having dropped only slightly.
December 31, 2024
Dirty air from wildfires casts a cloud over household finances
Using California's Camp Fire as a natural laboratory, this article examines the effects of both fire and smoke-related air pollution on household credit card spending and repayment.
September 24, 2024
Lower interest rates don’t necessarily improve housing affordability
The direct impact of higher mortgage rates on housing affordability has received much attention. We emphasize that housing affordability not only depends on mortgage rates but also on house prices, which have competing effects.
April 02, 2024
State and local governments rake in surpluses after pandemic
The existence of large sums in state and local government coffers runs counter to historic post-recession trends. State and local governments usually grapple with budget shortfalls due to rising social program demands and weak revenue streams following recessions.
December 19, 2023
Reciprocal deposit networks provide means to exceed FDIC’s $250,000 account cap
Because of their prominence, reciprocal deposits are important in the broader discussion of deposit insurance. Though they have the potential to increase banks’ moral hazard, they also bring increased trust and safety to the banking system.
November 28, 2023
Bankers, regulators absorb lessons of Silicon Valley Bank failure as new tests emerge
Ben Munyan, director of supervisory policy in the Banking Supervision Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, discusses the challenges the banking industry faces in an era of rapidly rising interest rates and how Texas institutions have fared.
September 29, 2023
Texas’ cheap housing edge slipping away as resilient demand outpaces supply
Housing affordability has declined in Texas, a top destination for domestic and international migrants drawn by its historically low cost of living.
April 21, 2023