CONTENTS Foreword xiii Acknowledgments xvii Abbreviations xix 1 Introduction1 Growth Potential of Housing Finance Markets3 Summary of Key Challenges5 Objectives of the Report6 Scope of the Report6 2 Housing Demand9 3 Housing Supply13 Current State of Housing13 Development of Housing Stock14 Construction Quality and Enforcement of Construction Standards16 Housing Costs16 Housing Price Index17 Secondary Property Markets17 4 Housing Finance Institutions and Instruments 19 Traditional Mortgage Lending 20 State-Owned Specialized Housing Banks 22 Private Specialized Mortgage Lenders 24 Islamic Housing Finance25 Large-Scale Project Finance26 Informal Housing Finance 26 Homeowners' Insurance27 Risk Management27 Secondary Market for Mortgage Finance 29 Prudential Regulation and Oversight 30 A Word on the Global Financial Crisis32 5 Low-Income Housing Finance33 The Power of Microfinance 33 Affordability of Housing 34 Low-Cost Market Solutions34 6 Regulatory Framework for Housing and Housing Finance37 Land Administration 37 Foreclosure 43 Credit Information45 7 Policy Options to Improve the Framework for Housing and Housing Finance 47 Efficient Land Administration 47 Housing and Housing Finance Information and Transparency 48 Long-Term Funding Availability through Mortgage Refinancing48 Expanded Housing Finance to Low-Income Groups through Product Innovation 49 Appendix A Afghanistan51 Overview52 Housing Demand56 Housing Supply57 Housing Finance60 Low-Income and Microfmance Housing67 Regulatory Framework and Mortgage Market Infrastructure72 Policy Options for Improving the Framework for Housing Finance76 Appendix B Bangladesh83 Overview84 Housing Demand85 Housing Supply86 Housing Finance91 Low-Income and Microfmance Housing105 Regulatory Framework and Mortgage Market Infrastructure111 Policy Options for Improving the Framework for Housing Finance116 Appendix C India127 Overview129 Housing Demand133 Housing Supply135 Housing Finance141 Low-Income and Microfinance Housing160 Regulatory Framework and Mortgage Market Infrastructure 175 Policy Options for Improving the Framework for Housing Finance191 Appendix D Pakistan209 Overview 211 Housing Demand214 Housing Supply 216 Housing Finance223 Low-Income and Microfmance Housing247 Regulatory Framework and Mortgage Market Infrastructure254 Policy Options for Improving the Framework for Housing Finance262 Conclusion275 Appendix E Sri Lanka279 Overview 280 Housing Demand282 Housing Supply 284 Housing Finance289 Low-Income and Microfinance Housing304 Regulatory Framework and Mortgage Market Infrastructure308 Policy Framework and Suggestions for Future Development 314 Index323