Contact:
Darryl Hicks, 202-557-3556, [email protected]
National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association
For Immediate Release:
WASHINGTON (July 20, 2026) – After two quarterly declines, housing wealth among homeowners aged 62 and older rose in Q1 2026 to a record $14.92 trillion, according to the latest quarterly NRMLA/Riskspan Reverse Mortgage Market Index.
Since 2000, the RMMI has tracked reverse mortgage market opportunity by analyzing long-term trends in senior home values and home equity accumulation, offering a key benchmark for understanding the financial position of older homeowners.
The Q1 RMMI was driven by an estimated $314.8 billion (1.8%) increase in senior home values, partially offset by a $10.5 billion (0.4%) increase in senior-held mortgage debt.
Riskspan says the rebound coincides with mortgage rates easing to their lowest levels since 2022, noting also that the brief improvement in affordability appears to have supported the gain in senior housing values, while growth in senior mortgage debt slowed relative to the prior two quarters.
“The rebound in senior housing wealth is encouraging news for older homeowners and underscores the important role home equity continues to play in retirement security,” said Steve Irwin, President of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA). “With senior home equity reaching another record level, many older Americans have greater financial flexibility to help address rising living expenses, healthcare costs, or other retirement needs.”
About Reverse Mortgages
Reverse mortgages are available to homeowners who are 62 and older with significant home equity. They are a versatile financial tool that seniors can use to borrow against the equity in their home without having to make monthly principal or interest payments as with a traditional “forward” mortgage or a home equity loan. Under a reverse mortgage, funds are advanced to the borrower, and interest accrues, but the outstanding balance is not due until the last borrower leaves the home, sells, or passes away.
To date, more than 1.3 million households have utilized an FHA-insured reverse mortgage to help meet their financial needs. For more information, please visit www.ReverseMortgage.org
About the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association
The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) is the national voice for the industry and represents the lenders, loan servicers, and housing counseling agencies responsible for more than 90 percent of reverse mortgage transactions in the United States. All NRMLA member companies commit themselves to a Code of Ethics & Professional Responsibility. Learn more at www.nrmlaonline.org.
About RiskSpan, Inc.
RiskSpan offers end-to-end solutions for data management, risk management analytics, and visualization on a highly secure, fast, and fully scalable platform that has earned the trust of the industry’s largest firms. Combining the strength of subject matter experts, quantitative analysts, and technologists, the RiskSpan platform integrates a range of data-sets–including both structured and unstructured–and off-the-shelf analytical tools to provide you with powerful insights and a competitive advantage. Learn more at www.riskspan.com.
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