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Mortgages, immigrants and discrimination: An analysis of the interest rates in Spain

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  • Diaz-Serrano, Luis
  • Raya, Josep M.

Abstract

In this paper, we use a unique data set on granted mortgages to investigate whether immigrant and native borrowers are treated differently by lenders in the Spanish mortgage market. We observe that immigrant borrowers are charged substantially higher interest rates in their mortgages than their native counterparts. These differentials remain high and significant even after controlling for differences in creditworthiness and other factors. Further analyses based on the decomposition of the native–immigrant interest rate gap reveal that the differences in observable factors only account for 12% of the gap. The empirical evidence we find here suggests that these differentials are due to discrimination.

Suggested Citation

  • Diaz-Serrano, Luis & Raya, Josep M., 2014. "Mortgages, immigrants and discrimination: An analysis of the interest rates in Spain," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 22-32.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:regeco:v:45:y:2014:i:c:p:22-32
    DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2013.12.004
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    Cited by:

    1. Núria Rodríguez‐Planas, 2018. "Mortgage finance and culture," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 786-821, September.
    2. Wu, Bao & Liu, Zijia & Gu, Qiuyang & Tsai, Fu-Sheng, 2023. "Underdog mentality, identity discrimination and access to peer-to-peer lending market: Exploring effects of digital authentication," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Paolo Emilio Mistrulli & Md Taslim Uddin & Alberto Zazzaro, 2023. "Discrimination of Immigrants in Mortgage Pricing and Approval: Evidence from Italy," CSEF Working Papers 675, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    4. Diaz-Serrano, Luis, 2019. "Inflation of home appraisal values and the access to mortgage loans of credit constrained borrowers," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 412-422.
    5. Nicodemo, Catia & Raya, Josep M., 2018. "Does Juan Carlos or Nelson Obtain a Larger Price Cut in the Spanish Housing Market?," IZA Discussion Papers 11811, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. José García-Montalvo & Josep M. Raya, 2017. "Constraints on LTV as a Macroprudential Tool: A Precautionary Tale," Working Papers 1008, Barcelona School of Economics.
    7. Kartal, Melis & Müller, Wieland & Tremewan, James, 2021. "Building trust: The costs and benefits of gradualism," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 258-275.
    8. José Garcia Montalvo & Josep M. Raya, 2017. "Constraints on LTV as a macroprudential tool: a precautionary tale," Economics Working Papers 1592, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
    9. Zinovyeva, E. G. & Balynskaya, N. R. & Koptyakova, S. V. & Akhmetzianova, O.O., 2020. "Analysis of the residential mortgage market in the Ural Federal District," R-Economy, Ural Federal University, Graduate School of Economics and Management, vol. 6(1), pages 5-13.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Discrimination; Immigration; Interest rate; Mortgage price differentials; Housing market; Mortgage market;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination

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