Americans worried that the U.S. government shutdown could derail their plans to take out a mortgage or refinance their home loan can breathe easy — mostly. Housing experts says lenders will continue processing mortgages as usual even if federal agencies close shop, while noting that a shutdown could lead to hitches for borrowers applying for government-backed loans.

"If you're expecting to close in a week or a month, there could be some slight delay," said Jeff Ostrowski, a housing analyst at Bankrate. "But I think for most people, it's probably going to be a blip more than a real deal killer."

The bulk of the mortgage market consists of loans originated by private lenders. But some government agencies have a hand in the process, such as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) ins

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