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The Transition To Home Ownership And The Black-White Wealth Gap

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Author Info
Kerwin Kofi Charles
Erik Hurst

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Abstract

This paper analyzes differences in the likelihood that black and white families become homeowners. By following a sample of black and white renters over time, we are able to separately study racial differences in the likelihood of applying for a mortgage and in the likelihood that a mortgage application is accepted. Although its effect on the race gap in housing transitions is small, we find strong evidence that black applicants are almost twice as likely as comparable white households to be rejected, even when credit history proxies and measures of household wealth are accounted for. We show that the housing transition gap exists primarily because blacks are less likely to apply for mortgages in the first place. The analysis suggests that differences in income, family structure, and in the ability and willingness of parents to provide down-payment assistance are the primary reasons for this applications gap. We speculate that the portion of the gap that remains unexplained after controlling for income, demographics, and wealth may be the result of blacks anticipating a greater chance of rejection when they apply for mortgages. © 2001 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technolog

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Publisher Info
Article provided by MIT Press in its journal The Review of Economics and Statistics.

Volume (Year): 84 (2002)
Issue (Month): 2 (May)
Pages: 281-297
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Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:84:y:2002:i:2:p:281-297

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  1. Stephen L. Ross, 2005. "The Continuing Practice and Impact of Discrimination," Working papers 2005-19, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics, revised Jul 2006. [Downloadable!]
  2. Lisa A. Keister, 2000. "Family Structure, Race, and Wealth Ownership: A Longitudinal Exploration of Wealth Accumulation Processes," Macroeconomics 0004051, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  3. Belton, Willie & Uwaifo Oyelere, Ruth, 2008. "The Racial Saving Gap Enigma: Unraveling the Role of Institutions," IZA Discussion Papers 3545, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Stephen L. Ross, 2008. "Understanding Racial Segregation: What is known about the Effect of Housing Discrimination," Working papers 2008-15, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics, revised Nov 2008. [Downloadable!]
  5. Kerwin Kofi Charles & Erik Hurst, 2002. "The Correlation of Welath Across Generations," NBER Working Papers 9314, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Haan, Michael, 2005. "The Decline of the Immigrant Homeownership Advantage: Life-cycle, Declining Fortunes and Changing Housing Careers in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, 1981-2001," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2005238e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch. [Downloadable!]
  7. Hilber, Christian A. L. & Liu, Yingchun, 2007. "Explaining the Black-White Homeownership Gap: The Role of Own Wealth, Parental Externalities and Locational Preferences," MPRA Paper 5136, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Erik Hurst & James P. Ziliak, 2004. "Do Welfare Asset Limits Affect Household Saving? Evidence from Welfare Reform," NBER Working Papers 10487, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  9. Klevmarken, Anders & Lupton, Joseph & Stafford, Frank, 2000. "Wealth Dynamics in the 1980’s and 1990’s: Sweden and the U.S," Working Paper Series 2000:18, Uppsala University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  10. Ngina S. Chiteji & Frank P. Stafford, 2000. "Asset Ownership Across Generations," Economics Working Paper Archive 314, Levy Economics Institute, The. [Downloadable!]
  11. Stephen L. Ross, 2003. "What Is Known about Testing for Discrimination: Lessons Learned by Comparing across Different Markets," Working papers 2003-21, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics, revised Nov 2003. [Downloadable!]
  12. Erik Hurst & James P. Ziliak, 2001. "Welfare Reform and Household Saving," JCPR Working Papers 234, Northwestern University/University of Chicago Joint Center for Poverty Research.
  13. Joseph G. Altonji & Ulrich Doraszelski, 2000. "The Role of Permanent Income and Demographics in Black/White Differences in Wealth," Working Papers 850, Economic Growth Center, Yale University. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  14. Haan, Michael, 2005. "Diminution de l'avantage des immigrants en matière de propriété : analyse de cycle de vie de la baisse de fortunes et de l'évolution de l'accession à la propriété chez les immigrants de Montré," Direction des études analytiques : documents de recherche 2005238f, Statistics Canada, Direction des études analytiques. [Downloadable!]
  15. Gary V. Engelhardt & Brigitte C. Madrian, 2004. "Employee Stock Purchase Plans," NBER Working Papers 10421, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  16. Christopher J. Mayer & Karen Pence, 2008. "Subprime Mortgages: What, Where, and to Whom?," NBER Working Papers 14083, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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