We investigate whether religion acts as a deterrent to the types of mortgage misrepresentation that played a significant role in the recent housing boom and bust. Using a large sample of mortgages originated from 2000 to 2007, we provide evidence that local religious adherence (religiosity) is...

Using publicly available data from the city of Denver and the state of Colorado, this study examines the effects of retail conversions (conversions from medical marijuana to retail marijuana stores) on neighboring house values in Denver, Colorado. The study period reflects a time before and...

This paper presents evidence that affiliation between the mortgage servicer and the originator provides a mechanism to reduce information frictions inherent in debt renegotiation. We find that originator-servicer affiliation increases the likelihood of modification by 10%-23T using a large...

An oft-touted benefit of homeownership is the ability to build and access equity, and in recent years the amount of “tappable” home equity held by US homeowners has reached historic levels. But more than one-quarter of recent applications for mortgage equity withdrawal (MEW) loan products...

We explore the role of location in the financing of commercial real estate acquisitions by real estate investment trusts (REITs). More specifically, we examine how the location of a property relative to a REIT's main business location affects the financing of that property. We find that REITs...

An expansion in mortgage credit to subprime borrowers is widely believed to have been a principal driver of the 2002–2006 U.S. house price boom. By contrast, this paper documents a robust, negative correlation between the growth in the share of purchase mortgages to subprime borrowers and...

We investigate whether religion acts as a deterrent to the types of mortgage misrepresentation that played a significant role in the recent housing boom and bust. Using a large sample of mortgages originated from 2000 to 2007, we provide evidence that local religious adherence (religiosity) is...

Existing studies generally document large price discounts for foreclosures and short sales, implying large inefficiencies in real estate markets. We consider an alternative approach that leverages the expertise and local market knowledge of residential real estate appraisers. Our approach deals...