A Spatial Analysis of the Role of Residential Real Estate Investment in the Economic Development of the Northeast Region of the United States

Spatial dependence is an important factor in regional economic growth analysis, especially in terms of population, employment, and per capita income. This paper employs spatial econometric techniques and U.S. Census Bureau county-level data for the period of 1980-2010 to identify and estimate the impacts of residential real estate investment on the economic development of the Northeast region. A spatial panel method is used to analyze the spillover effect of county level economic development on neighboring countie