Thomas M. Springer

• Clemson University

The literature on broker intermediation in residential real estate has shown positive pricing effects associated with the use of a broker and mixed results as far as the pricing effects of nonstandard commission structures. On the premise that real estate broker incentives emanate from two primary sources, factors that increase broker operating eff...

Because of abundant available information with which the market can price risk and return metrics, publicly-traded Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) offer a unique and convenient way to study the pricing of the risk associated with portfolios of real property. Using REIT data, we estimate individual models classified by the primary property typ...

This paper examines the effects of impact fees on housing prices using data from 46,420 properties in 63 Texas cities, 38 of which impose an impact fee. After controlling for self-selection of the imposition of the impact fee, findings indicate that the prices for both new and existing homes in areas with impact fees are 1.44% and 6.5% higher, resp...

This paper extends the existing research on real estate investment trust (REIT) operating efficiencies. We estimate stochastic-frontier, panel-data models specifying a translog cost function. The specified model updates the cost frontier with new information as it becomes available over time. The model can identify frontier cost improvements, retur...

Previous research (Rutherford et al. 2005 ; Levitt and Syverson 2005 ) identify and quantify agency problems in the brokerage of single-family houses. Real estate agents are found to receive a premium when selling their own houses in comparison to similar client-owned houses. Given the homogeneity of the condominium market in comparison to the sing...

This paper extends the existing research on real estate investment trust (REIT) operating efficiencies. We estimate a stochastic-frontier, panel-data model specifying a translog cost function, covering 1995-2003. The results disagree with previous research in that we find little evidence of scale economies and some evidence of scale diseconomies. M...

When a homeowner uses an agent to sell his property, he may have less information than his agent and be disadvantaged in price setting and negotiating. This study examines whether the percentage commission structure in real estate brokerage creates agency problems. We investigate whether agents are able to use their information advantage to either...

This study investigates whether or not non-traditional marketing has an effect on the prices paid for residential real estate. Non-traditionally broker-marketed properties are defined as those properties that are sold with the aid of a real estate broker, but not marketed through a Multiple Listing Service (MLS). An analysis of properties that sold...

Rutherford et al. (2001) develop and empirically test a model that analyzes the effect the type of listing contract, either exclusive agency (EA) or exclusive right to sell (ERTS), has on the performance of the agent/broker. This paper extends the work of Rutherford et al. (2001) and looks at differences between housing submarkets delineated by pri...

Previous studies have found significant but time-varying valuation effects associated with real estate investment trusts initial public offerings (REIT IPOs). Because REIT IPOs may disclose relevant information about real estate market conditions, they may serve to revalue existing real estate securities. To determine whether REIT IPOs signal infor...

When a house is placed on the market, the seller must choose the initial offer price. Setting the price too high or too low affects the marketability of the property. While there is near universal agreement that the seller faces a trade-off between selling at a higher price and selling in less time, there is less agreement about how to measure this...

Executive Summary. A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) selection and portfolio construction criteria is de-veloped based on REIT operating efficiency and pricing multiples (price-to-net asset value). Portfolios of REITs are constructed of REITs that have relatively high op-erating efficiency but are trading at a relatively low price. The results...

Using a stochastic frontier methodology that incorporates Bayesian statistics, this paper analyzes the cost efficiency of real estate investment trusts (REITs) by observing the deviations of the measured costs of individual REITs from a defined efficient cost frontier. Using 1995-1997 data, we extend the previous research in this area and measure R...

This study measures technical efficiency and economies of scale for real estate investment trusts (REITs) by employing data envelopment analysis (DEA), a linear-programming technique. Using data from the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREITs) for the years 1992–1996, we find that REITs are technically inefficient, and the i...

This paper offers a theoretical and empirical analysis of the exclusive agency and exclusive-right-to-sell contracts used in real estate brokerage. The theoretical model predicts that while both contract types will yield the same price, the exclusive agency contract will result in faster sales than the exclusive-right-to-sell contract. In the empir...

Previous research on the returns to real estate investment trusts (REITs) has considered whether REITs are systematically exposed to general stock-market risk and interest-rate risk. This study examines how the sensitivity of REIT returns to these factors may be influenced by various REIT characteristics. Using a sample of publicly traded REITs, we...

Both the real estate brokerage and the real estate investment trusts (REIT) industries have experienced dramatic structural and institutional changes in the last few years. These changes have brought the issue of operating efficiencies to the forefront. In this article, we summarize and critically review the operating efficiency literature for the...

Although previous research addresses the price effects of below-market loan assumptions in housing transactions, no direct evidence exists regarding the price effects of above-market loan assumptions. This study develops a hypothesis of strictly nonnegative price effects in assumption financing and empirically documents a positive impact in housing...

We estimate an accelerated failure time (AFT) model to investigate the effects of several characteristics suggested as indicators of firm survival for initial public offerings (IPOs). The results indicate that the survival time for IPOs increases with size, age of the firm at the offering, the initial return, IPO activity level in the market, and t...

In this paper, we reexamine the issue of whether corporate relocation assistance programs for transferred employees significantly affect sale prices of single-family homes. We estimate a hedonic price equation that includes physical housing characteristics, location factors, occupancy status, and type of seller for a sample of 2,441 transactions. S...

Using the translog cost function to estimate economies of scale for a sample of Real Estate Investment Trusts for the years 1992-1994, we find significant evidence that economies of scale exist for REITs for all years examined. The results show that measurement of scale economies is sensitive to the model used for the measurement. Individual charac...

A two-stage least squares model of housing prices is estimated with data collected from 3358 single-family home transactions. The results provide evidence for an optimal marketing period and indicate that a liquidity premium is priced in single-family home sales. Consistent with the hypothesis derived from economic search models, the model shows hi...

The maintenance costs of 137 residential rental properties in northwestern South Carolina are analyzed. The results show that maintenance cost per square foot increases with property age, tenant turnover, certain amenities, and for higher-rent properties. Compared to other property types, apartments exhibit higher maintenance costs per square foot...

Factors such as relocation and financial distress motivate the seller of a single-family home to facilitate sale by posting a lower list price, communicating the motivations to the marketplace, or offering sales incentives to agents. Impacts of seller motivations on selling prices and marketing times are estimated using data for single-family homes...

This paper examines implicit price differences of rental housing characteristics across various property types to measure whether determinants of rents are valued in the aggregate or separately. The results show that hedonic price functions are not identical across property types which suggests that ordinary least squares is not the appropriate est...

The length of time that residential mortgages remain in delinquency prior to foreclosure is examined using an Accelerated Failure Time (AFT) model and a database of 207 foreclosed conventional and Veteran's Administration (VA) mortgages. The results suggest that the primary factors influencing the timing of the lender's foreclosure decision are the...

In this research we use a continuous payment formula for duration to examine the price behavior of a fixed-rate level of payment mortgage. In the case where the mortgage is held to maturity, duration increases monotonically as term-to-maturity increases, regardless of changes in the market rate of interest. In the case where the mortgage is prepaid...

This paper develops a model that examines the financial and nonfinancial prepayment of GNMA securities. A varying coefficient model depicts prepayment as a dynamic process, allowing for changes in factors, reflecting differences in time, debt, and borrowers' characteristics. This model provides a means for systematically incorporating hypothesized...

This study explores the location preferences for firms of different sizes, using a varying coefficient model to study the relationships underlying industrial location and economic development in the rural Southeast. The model distinguishes between the ability of a county to attract industry both independent of distance and as a function of its dist...

This study examines economic development and industrial location in the rural Southeast using a varying coefficient model. Empirical results generated with a Poisson regression show that the varying coefficient model is appropriate and that the posited variables help explain the number of manufacturing firms which have located to a rural county. Th...

A sample of 209 distressed mortgages is used to analyze the terminations of distresses mortgages. An option-based model is compared to a traditional default model. Results show that the traditional model is statistically superior. However, the model's ability to identify a default is similar to that of the simpler option-based model. Alternative me...

This paper resents an event-time study of the wealth effects associated with the corporate decision to lease real estate assets. The analysis provides a measure of the valuation consequences of real estate lease transactions for corporate lessees to determine whether such transactions offer a net benefit to lessees in terms of a common stock price...

Using the Swamy (1970) model for pooled data and a Hildreth and Houck (1968) model for individual securities, this article investigates whether the parameters describing the prepayment behavior of the fixed-rate debt underlying mortgage-backed securities are better estimated as a stochastic behavior. Empirical results indicate that differences betw...

Most economic models of mortgage prepayment assume fixed parameters. The possibility of instability in the parameters governing the prepayment behavior of the fixed-rate mortgages underlying mortgage-backed securities warrants inquiry. Prepayment data for a variety of GNMA securities are used to estimate a switching regimes model. The results suppo...

The same real estate broker representing both the seller and buyer in the same real estate transaction is a situation known as dual agency and introduces obvious incentive conflicts. Previous studies have focused on the effect of dual agency on transaction outcomes such as selling price and time on market. This study examines whether the misalignme...