Working Paper

Bank branch presence and access to credit in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods

Abstract: Banks specialize in lending to informationally opaque borrowers by collecting soft information about them. Some researchers claim that this process requires a physical presence in the market to lower information collection costs. The author provides evidence in support of this argument in the mortgage market for low-income borrowers. Mortgage originations increase and interest spreads decline when there is a bank branch located in a low-to-moderate income neighborhood.

Keywords: Mortgage loans; Branch banks;

https://doi.org/10.26509/frbc-wp-200616

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland

Part of Series: Working Papers (Old Series)

Publication Date: 2006

Number: 0616