Department of Finance

 

Date of this Version

1994

Document Type

Article

Citation

Journal of Actuarial Practice 2 (1994), pp. 125-144

Comments

Copyright 1994 Absalom Press

Abstract

Housing finance is a nontraditional field where actuarial expertise could be applied fruitfully. The development of mortgage instruments requires the application of financial mathematics, while the evaluation and management of the financial risks to which borrowers and lenders are exposed require a knowledge of insurance principles. This paper splits the financial costs of home ownership into several components: those that arise from inflation, risk, administration, and the residual real interest charge. The risk component further is partitioned into life contingencies, economic contingencies, and various moral hazards. This analysis provides a basis for future financial innovation, highlights where government intervention may prove productive, and suggests a number of areas of possible actuarial involvement.

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