Prerequisites: None

Exam Type: No Exam

This reading group will focus on some of the perennial issues and recent developments involving the law, policy, and theory of real estate. Real estate is the world’s largest asset class; the global financial crisis of 2008 was just one indication of the importance of real estate in a modern economy. Real estate also affects nearly every aspect of our lives, and the world we leave to future generations. Readings and class sessions will address the role of real estate in, among other topics, the rise and fall of cities; urban renewal, poverty, and crime; housing and suburban sprawl; office space and skyscrapers; technology, innovation, and the environment; and economic growth and human flourishing.

Note: This reading group will meet on the following dates: 9/16, 9/30, 10/14, 10/28, 11/11, and 12/2.

Textbook(s):
Edward Glaeser, Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier (2011).