Gender Difference and Intra-Household Economic Power in Mortgage Signing Order

48 Pages Posted: 12 Jun 2015 Last revised: 20 Jan 2018

See all articles by Sumit Agarwal

Sumit Agarwal

National University of Singapore

Richard K. Green

University of Southern California - Lusk Center for Real Estate

Eric Rosenblatt

Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) - Research

Vincent Yao

Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business

Jian Zhang

The University of Hong Kong - Faculty of Business and Economics

Date Written: November 11, 2017

Abstract

This paper adopts a novel approach to examine the roles of gender difference and intra-household economic power in mortgage signing order. We develop an “economic power” index based on relative economic power within the same-sex couple households. We then use this measure along with gender identity and other factors to explain signing order in different-gender couples. Our results suggest that, while pure economic power explains much of the observed signing order, gender difference plays an important role. Exploit regional variation reveals that gender difference in signing order is greater in states with a larger gender wage gap and red states whose residents predominantly vote for the Republican.

Keywords: Gender Difference, Economic Power, Mortgage Application, Household Finance

JEL Classification: A12, G02, J16, R2

Suggested Citation

Agarwal, Sumit and Green, Richard K. and Rosenblatt, Eric and Yao, Vincent and Zhang, Jian, Gender Difference and Intra-Household Economic Power in Mortgage Signing Order (November 11, 2017). Journal of Financial Intermediation, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2616756 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2616756

Sumit Agarwal (Contact Author)

National University of Singapore ( email )

15 Kent Ridge Drive
Singapore, 117592
Singapore
8118 9025 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.ushakrisna.com

Richard K. Green

University of Southern California - Lusk Center for Real Estate ( email )

2250 Alcazar Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089
United States

Eric Rosenblatt

Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) - Research ( email )

16517 Keats Terrace
Derwood, MD 20855
United States

Vincent Yao

Georgia State University - J. Mack Robinson College of Business ( email )

P.O. Box 4050
Atlanta, GA 30303-3083
United States

Jian Zhang

The University of Hong Kong - Faculty of Business and Economics ( email )

Faculty of Business and Econoics
Pokfulam Road
Hong Kong
Hong Kong

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