We develop a theoretical model demonstrating the potential spillover effects associated with the introduction of risky assets. Specifcally, we examine the potential increase in mortgage default risk on prime mortgages that results from the introduction of subprime mortgages in a local area. The...

Credit underwriting is a dynamic process involving multiple interactions between borrower and lender. During this process, lenders have the opportunity to obtain hard and soft information from the borrower. We analyze more than 108,000 home equity loans and lines-of-credit applications to study...

Building on past research in the economies-of-scale debate, we test for scale economies in Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) by examining growth prospects, revenue and expense measures, profitability ratios, systematic risk and capital costs. Overall, we find that large REITs are increasing...

I discuss three topics in this thesis. The first two concern topics centering on addition to the S&P 500 Index. In chapters two and three, I examine the price and liquidity effects (respectively) of additions to the S&P500 Index from January 1993 to December 2000. The results from chapter two...

When financing real estate properties through a mortgage, borrowers often face a variety of loan products. During the recent housing bubble the variety of mortgage products and features proliferated. The recent mortgage foreclosure crisis leads many commentators to point to the growth in the use...