For example, homeowners are more likely than renters to maintain their properties and to participate in civic organizations. Homeownership has also helped many families build wealth, and accumulated  1  This estimate is based on data from the Mortgage Bankers Association, adjusted to reflect the limited coverage of the association’s sample.
2  Near-prime loans include those securitized in "alt-A" pools and similar loans that are held on lenders’ books. BIS Review 50/2007  1  home equity may serve as a financial reserve that can be tapped as needed at a lower cost than most other forms of credit. Broader access to mortgage credit is not without its downside, however.