New Paper on Foreclosure Crisis by Prof. Eric Seymour

April 17, 2024

Prof. Eric Seymour co-authors Judged by Their Deeds: Outcomes for Properties Acquired by Contract Sellers Following the Foreclosure Crisis in Detroit

Abstract

Prior research has documented the reemergence of predatory land contracts in majority-Black neighborhoods in the wake of the foreclosure crisis. Though land contracts facilitate property transfers involving lower-value properties and credit-constrained households, they are less regulated and often include risky terms. This paper investigates outcomes associated with properties sold using land contracts signed between 2008 and 2015 in Detroit, leveraging real estate transaction, tax foreclosure, and eviction and land contract forfeiture records. We also assess outcomes for the broader portfolio of properties purchased by large contract sellers. We find that sales by large contract sellers are generally associated with higher odds of near-term failure. We also find that investors using contract sales withheld property taxes on much of their inventory, consistent with a short-term triage-based business strategy. Conversely, the single large non-profit contract seller in our study had a far higher rate of success compared to all other contract sales. These results provide evidence of negative outcomes for sales initiated by problematic entities and supports arguments for stronger regulation of land contracts and upstream interventions to prevent predatory investors from acquiring discounted homes from public and institutional sources.

Read Article

Seymour, E., & Akers, J. (2024). Judged by Their Deeds: Outcomes for Properties Acquired by Contract Sellers Following the Foreclosure Crisis in Detroit. Housing Policy Debate, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511482.2024.2334859

Eric Seymour, PhD. is an Assistant Professor researching community development, housing, informatics, statistical research methods, and GIS

Recent Posts

Meet the 2026 New Jersey Leadership Collective Fellows

New Jersey Leadership Collective’s mission is to train leaders who are committed to moving the communities they serve and the Garden State forward. They aim to make progressive change to legislation and policies through building collective power and taking collective...

EJB Talks: Fighting for Government Accountability in NJ

From Corruption to Ballot Reform: Fighting for Government Accountability in New Jersey As we close out our 13th season of EJB Talks, Dean Stuart Shapiro asks Public Policy Program Director, Professor Julia Rubin, about why New Jersey has long been considered one of...

New 2024-2025 Health Administration Program Annual Report

Dear Colleagues, This year’s milestone is the successful launch of our Doctor of Health Administration (DHA) program in Fall 2025, welcoming an inaugural cohort of 23 mid- and senior-level healthcare leaders. Designed in an executive-style format, the DHA advances...

Heldrich Center: Updated Multi-State Postsecondary Report Released

The Heldrich Center for Workforce Development has announced the release of an updated Multi-State Postsecondary Report, linking postsecondary completion data to employment outcomes across Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Virginia. This effort...

Cantor, Yedidia Identify Strategies to Provide Health Care to Homeless

Through cooperation, homeless services and health care providers can improve delivery of medical care to a vulnerable population, according to Rutgers researchers published by Rutgers Today, December 17, 2025 Author: Greg Bruno Media Contact: Nicole Swenarton, Rutgers...