The definitive account of the housing bubble that caused the Great Recession—and earned Wall Street fantastic profits. The American housing bubble of the 2000s caused the worst global financial crisis since the Great Depression. In this definitive account, Adam Levitin and Susan Wachter pinpoint its source: the shift in mortgage financing from securitization by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to “private-label securitization” by Wall Street banks. This change set off a race to the bottom in mortgage underwriting standards, as banks competed in laxity to gain market share. The Great American Housing Bubble tells the story of the transformation of mortgage lending from a dysfunctional, local affair, featuring short-term, interest-only “bullet” loans, to a robust, national market based around the thirty-year fixed-rate mortgage, a uniquely American innovation that served as the foundation for the middle class. Levitin and Wachter show how Fannie and Freddie’s market power kept risk in check until 2003, when mortgage financing shifted sharply to private-label securitization, as lenders looked for a way to sustain lending volume following an unprecedented refinancing wave. Private-label securitization brought a return of bullet loans, which had lower initial payments—enabling borrowers to borrow more—but much greater back-loaded risks. These loans produced a vast oversupply of underpriced mortgage finance that drove up home prices unsustainably. When the bubble burst, it set off a destructive downward spiral of home prices and foreclosures. Levitin and Wachter propose a rebuild of the housing finance system that ensures the widespread availability of the thirty-year fixed-rate mortgage, while preventing underwriting competition and shifting risk away from the public to private investors.
Consumer Finance: Markets and Regulation is the first law school text to focus on consumer financial services markets and their regulation. Structured around clear expository text and realistic problem sets, the book provides comprehensive coverage of the regulation of consumer credit, payments, and financial data markets by federal, state, and private law, including detailed coverage of the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a powerful new federal regulatory agency. The book also acquaints students with the full range of consumer financial products, how they operate, the risks and policy issues they raise, and their regulation. In so doing, the book provides an applied look at how regulatory agencies work, offering students a practical look at how statutes and regulations interact and how regulatory agencies enforce them. Professors and students will benefit from: Detailed coverage of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new federal regulatory agency with broad authority over consumer credit, payment, deposit, and financial data markets Comprehensive treatment of consumer credit regulation, including mortgages, credit cards, auto loans, student loans, and small dollar loans, as well as credit disclosures, usury, and fair lending regulation State-of-the-art coverage of consumer payment systems, with detailed coverage of electronic payment systems (credit cards, debit cards, ACH) and mobile wallets Coverage of topics not found elsewhere in law school curriculum, including anti-money laundering regulations, behavioral economics, fair lending laws, and consumer financial data privacy and data security Free online statutory supplement
Business Bankruptcy: Financial Restructuring and Modern Commercial Markets provides students with a contemporary stand-alone business bankruptcy text. Designed to teach financial restructuring law in a realistic twenty-first century commercial context, the book uses problem sets to explore not only Chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcy, but also out-of-court restructuring, modern financial products and transactions, and advanced in-court restructuring topics. New to the Second Edition: Clear thematic structure emphasizing the limitations on out-of-court restructuring and how bankruptcy attempts to address those limitations Reorganized chapter flow tracking traditional order of bankruptcy topics Substantially condensed text through elimination of extra cases and statutory excerpts Updated problem sets, including coverage of privacy issues in bankruptcy sales and capstone strategic issues Expanded coverage of out-of-court restructuring New chapters providing overview of bankruptcy process and summary comparing issues in out-of-court and in-court restructuring Professors and students will benefit from: Unique coverage of out-of-court restructuring providing students with realistic view of contemporary restructuring practice and showing what Chapter 11 adds to the financial restructuring toolkit Detailed coverage of modern financial products and markets—derivatives, securitization, loan syndications, and claims trading—familiarizing students with the dynamics of the modern restructuring landscape Comprehensive expository text clearly explaining the operation of the Bankruptcy Code and the policy issues involved In-depth case-studies contextualizing judicial decisions within the larger strategic picture Incorporation of actual deal documents, including a bond indenture, a loan syndication agreement, ISDA Master Agreement, and a restructuring support agreement Modular design enabling optional coverage of advanced topics
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