High utility costs are adding to what makes housing increasingly unaffordable. As a result, both builders and homeowners are considering energy-efficient measures that will lessen utility usage, thereby reducing housing costs. In this article, ResearchWorks examines a whole-house approach to energy efficiency by reviewing technologies consistent with principles recommended by the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing.

A tool for researchers and policy analysts, A Picture of Subsidized Households provides a data sketch of nearly 5 million households across the United States living in HUD-assisted housing. This comprehensive database on subsidized households is compiled from HUD's major data collection systems and made available by the Department's Office of Policy Development and Research. RW will briefly describe the contents of this tool and give some examples of how it is useful to researchers.

New research reported in A Study of Closing Costs for FHA Mortgages uses data from 7,560 FHA-insured mortgages, fee data from HUD-1 settlement statements, and census data to analyze homebuyers' experiences. RW explores this new information about the home purchase financing process and the variations in charges that affect the total closing costs paid by borrowers.

Equity in the home represents a major share of overall wealth for many older Americans. Tapping into a home's value in order to meet cash needs during retirement generally requires the sale of the house or the ability to obtain a home equity loan. A home equity conversion mortgage (HECM), also known as a reverse mortgage, is an alternative that allows homeowners to tap into equity while remaining in place. In this article, RW explains HUD's role in the reverse mortgage market, the benefits to lenders and older homeowners, and the future prospects of HUD's HECM program.