As international property investors increasingly understand and appreciate the benefits of diversification and look to achieve higher returns, cross-border real estate investment has increased. In this context, the issue of the country risk premium is crucial as these types of investments...

The commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) market has vastly evolved over the last decade, but it remains a very private and proprietary market in comparison to other bond markets such as corporate or municipal bonds. The formation of CMBS data source providers such as Trepp and Intex in...

Since 1995, the government has launched brownfield financing programs to promote brownfield cleanup and redevelopment in the United States. These programs have lowered financial barriers for brownfield developers and returned vibrant properties to communities. In this study, I focus on examining...

This paper examines why and how publicly-traded home builders might use index-based residential property derivatives to manage risk. After describing a number of alternative reasons for hedging, I argue for a paradigm for risk management proposed by Kenneth Froot, David Scharfstein and Jeremy...

In its Global Economics Paper Nc.134, the Goldman Sachs Economics Group highlights the West African country of Nigeria as having the potential to be among the next generation of emerging markets around the world the next eleven (N-11) - after their much publicized BRIC countries: Brazil, Russia,...

This paper examines a second home market near Heavenly Ski Resort in South Lake Tahoe, CA to understand historical pricing behaviors and to forecast future prices using an econometric model derived from economic, demographic, and climate data. In order to do this study, we gathered historical...

Combining food, entrepreneurship, and economic development, Nuestra Culinary Ventures (NCV) appeals to people’s hearts and stomachs. Operated by Nuestra Comunidad Development Corporation, NCV is a nonprofit small business kitchen incubator located in Boston. NCV provides culinary entrepreneurs...

Fenton Village, downtown Silver Spring, Maryland’s small business district, is experiencing a marked decline since the once-struggling downtown began its revival. The competition from new development and lack of government action are hurting Fenton Village, forcing small businesses to close,...

Over the past decade we have been involved in more than fifty economic development projects in cities and towns across the Pioneer Valley. These have ranged from the revitalization of older industrial areas in Springfield, the development of incubator facilities in Chicopee, the reuse of the...

During the past several years, economists and other researchers have speculated about the rise in alternative work situations and the expansion of home-based work. Data from the 2000 U.S. Census indicate that more than 12 million Americans (10 percent of the workforce) reported earning some form...