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Restricted access: Real estate agent response to client race, ethnicity, gender, and side of market

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  • Andrew Hanson
  • Zackary Hawley

Abstract

We design and implement a correspondence experiment to test for differences in real estate agent response across client race, ethnicity, gender, and side of market. Real estate agents are more likely to respond to White clients than Black or Hispanic clients—Whites have a 32.18% higher response rate than Hispanics and an 8.48% higher response rate than Black clients. We also find that real estate agents are more responsive to sellers (23.81% premium over buyers) and female clients (13.57% premium over males).

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Hanson & Zackary Hawley, 2023. "Restricted access: Real estate agent response to client race, ethnicity, gender, and side of market," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 51(4), pages 855-890, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:reesec:v:51:y:2023:i:4:p:855-890
    DOI: 10.1111/1540-6229.12438
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    Cited by:

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