Auctions with Positive Synergies: Experimental Evidence

In a standard auction, bidders bid more aggressively when the number of bidders increases. However, Krishna and Rosenthal (1996, Games and Economic Behavior) show that when bidders have multiple-unit demand that generates positive synergies, bidders bid less aggressively as the number of bidders increases. The first objective of this paper is to offer experimental evidence on this seemingly counter-intuitive theoretical prediction. Following the model of Krishna and Rosenthal, we design a simultaneous second-price sealed-bid auction for two objects with two types of bidders: single-object and multiple-object demand bidders. Our results show that bidders bid less aggressively with increased competition. The second objective is to investigate the effect of offering global bidders the option of bidding for both objects as a package as well as submitting individual bids for each object. Controlling for bidders' valuations, we find that offering this option to global bidders increases allocative efficiency and sellers' revenue.Auction, Positive Synergies, Increased Competition, Package Bids

A Comparison of Real Estate Marketing Systems: Theory and Evidence

The objective of this paper is twofold. One is to provide a search-theoretical model of the marketing choice of the seller. The model explains the seemingly contradictory empirical results as to whether a seller raises the price of his house to pass on a portion of the broker's commission to the buyer. The second is to offer empirical evidence on the impact of the MLS on the price. We control for selectivity bias in the data and obtain a surprising result that the decision to use a multiple listing service decreases the sale price of a property.

External Factors, Housing Values And Rents: Evidence From Survey Data

Date of Conference: August 29 - September 1 2000This study uses a rich survey data to analyze housing values and rents in Istanbul, Turkey. In addition to variables related to location, household characteristics, and the physical characteristics of the property, the data involves a number of “qualitative” questions related to a set of external factors, such as the satisfaction level of the occupants with green area, parks, recreational facilities, transportation, distance to work, and noise. The paper identifies and compares the set of external factors that have a significant impact on property values and rents

Bigger is not Better: Brokerage and Time on the Market

We examine the relationship between the seller's choice of a real estate agent/firm and the time it takes to sell his property (TOM). We find that neither the commission rate of the selling agent nor the size of the listing firm has a significant impact on TOM. Our results also indicate that an increase in the number of listings by the listing agent increases TOM while an increase in the number of house sales by the listing agent decreases TOM. We fail to find empirical support for the argument that brokerage firms and agents expend more effort to sell their own listings.

Auctions with Positive Synergies: Experimental Evidence

In a standard auction, bidders bid more aggressively when the number of bidders increases. However, Krishna and Rosenthal (1996, Games and Economic Behavior) show that when bidders have multiple-unit demand that generates positive synergies, bidders bid less aggressively as the number of bidders increases. The first objective of this paper is to offer experimental evidence on this seemingly counter-intuitive theoretical prediction. Following the model of Krishna and Rosenthal, we design a simultaneous second-price sealed-bid auction for two objects with two types of bidders: single-object and multiple-object demand bidders. Our results show that bidders bid less aggressively with increased competition. The second objective is to investigate the effect of offering global bidders the option of bidding for both objects as a package as well as submitting individual bids for each object. Controlling for bidders' valuations, we find that offering this option to global bidders increases allocative efficiency and sellers' revenue

Elicited Time Preferences and Behavior in Long-Run Projects

We study whether and how the experimentally elicited risk and time preferences of subjects are associated with their behavior in long-run projects. First, risk and time preferences are elicited from time-dated monetary choices to estimate a general discount and utility function at an individual level, then subjects work on a longitudinal project that requires effort in multiple periods. We find that present bias in the form of a fixed cost or variable cost (quasi-hyperbolic discounting) is not supported by monetary choices. Analyses of allocation patterns of work reveal that the estimated utility and discounting models are not compatible with the observed allocations. We find evidence of both present and future bias, although the former is more prevalent and severe, and subjects exhibit naivete in their choice reversals. Furthermore, discount rate and present bias parameters estimated based on monetary choices have predictive power on how work is allocated in the long-run project

How Does Mortgage Debt Affect Household Consumption? Micro Evidence from China

The high growth rate of mortgage debt in various emerging and developed economies has captured headlines following the financial crisis. In this paper, we investigate how mortgage debt impacts household consumption behavior and various components of household consumption. Utilizing a comprehensive household survey data from China, we show that households with a mortgage consume a higher portion of their income than households without a mortgage. This is in line with the argument that having a mortgage reduces the uncertainty that the household faces regarding how much to save each month in order to be able to own a house, and this reduced uncertainty leads to lower monthly savings for the purpose of buying a house. We also find that among households with a mortgage, those who spend a larger share of their income on mortgage payments spend less of their income on consumption, reflecting the crowding out effect of mortgage payments on household consumption. Furthermore, we show that a government policy of decreasing the maximum loan-to-value ratio has a significant impact on the consumption behavior of households. The current paper offers the first evidence of the impact of growing mortgage debt on the consumption behavior of households. Our results will have implications for government policies that encourage mortgage borrowing