A new study from MIT has found that Black Americans pay more for homeownership than any other group.
The study, conducted by Edward Golding, executive director of the MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy, reports that Black Americans pay more for mortgage interest, mortgage insurance, and property taxes than other homeowners.
The disparities are as follows: $743 per year in mortgage interest payments, $550 a year mortgage insurance premiums, and$390 per year in property taxes. All-in-all this accounts for a $67,320 loss in retirement savings for Black homeowners over 30 years.
"The small differences compounding over the life of the mortgage and during homeownership can add up," writes Golding. "Even if it is a few hundred dollars a year here and there, it can amount to another year's salary families would otherwise have."
"While mortgage costs are determined by markets to some extent," said Golding, "there is a great deal of public policy that influences these rates, especially as it impacts people of color. We can and should address these issues at a policy level and start now to eliminate the large wealth gap between Black and White homeowners that we created in part through our current mortgage system."
Check out the paper for yourself here.
[Via]