Real Estate

Financial Markets (ECON 252)

Real Estate is the biggest asset class and of great importance for both individuals and institutional investors. An array of economic and psychological factors impact real estate investment decisions and the public has changing ideas of real estate as a profitable investment. People’s demand to buy a home by taking on long-term debt, called a mortgage, is often tied with the overall health of the economy and financial markets. In recessions, home buying tends to fall and the opposite holds in a strong economy. Commercial real estate, held indirectly by the public through partnerships and real estate investment trusts (REITs), is vulnerable to similar speculative activity. The most recent real estate boom illustrates the speculative nature of real estate, and its relation to financial and economic crises.

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2008.

Duration : 1:7:29

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From the October 6, 2009 PBS “News Hour.”

One sees this every day. Storefronts on Park Avenue South where overpriced restaurants sat two years ago are empty with “For Rent” signs, something one never saw in such neighborhoods. Traditionally in NYC, property changes hands in private deals, never through the posting of rent signs. With 1% down payments, commercial real estate makes the subprime meltdown look outright responsible.

Duration : 0:5:53

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