'Curious Conversations' podcast: Sherwood Clements talks about real estate values' impact on voting

Sherwood Clements joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the impact real estate values have on the presidential election. He discussed some recent research he was a part of that explored the impact of the “homevoter,” what findings surprised him, and what he thinks the date tells us about the upcoming election. 

About Clements

Clements is a collegiate assistant professor of real estate and the William and Mary Alice Park, Jr. Faculty Fellow in the Blackwood Department of Real Estate in the Pamplin College of Business. His research focuses on the relationships between the commodity futures markets and real estate markets and the behavioral aspects of residential real estate development. 

Takeaways

Clements and his colleagues examined real estate data from more than 2,700 counties across the United States and compared it to six presidential elections from 2000-2020.

Their research showed that counties with superior house price performance in the four years preceding an election are more likely to vote for the incumbent party. 

Their research also showed that the counties that switched their vote to the incumbent party most often did not experience positive returns during the next four years.

Learn more

Sherwood Clements named William and Mary Alice Park Junior Faculty Fellow

About the podcast

"Curious Conversations" is a series of free-flowing conversations with Virginia Tech researchers that take place at the intersection of world-class research and everyday life. Produced and hosted by Virginia Tech writer and editor Travis Williams, university researchers share their expertise and motivations as well as the practical applications of their work in a format that more closely resembles chats at a cookout than classroom lectures. New episodes are shared each Tuesday.