In this paper we explore the effects of bank-borrower physical proximity on price and non-price aspects of small business lending in local credit markets. Along the price dimension, our analysis reveals that interest rates increase with bank-borrower distance and decrease with the distance...

We examine banks' choice between two costly instruments used to identify good loan applicants: direct screening by acquiring borrower-specific information and collateral requirements. We show that with longer relationships the preference for screening increases both in initial and in later...