This paper studies the impact of a new class of investors on the dynamics of U.S. housing affordability after the Financial Crisis. Using a novel instrumental variable and processing 85 million housing transactions, we find that investors' purchases increase the price-to-income ratio, especially...

We study how investors in housing markets have changed after the 2009 financial crisis and the consequences for the markets and the economy. We document several new facts: (a) Institutional investors have replaced individual investors. (b) Most new investors are buy-and-hold investors as they...