Biography
An expert in real estate finance and economics, Stuart Gabriel applies the tools of economics and finance to analysis of housing, housing finance, real estate and urban economies.
One of his recent research studies found significant and compelling increases in house price returns across the vast number of metropolitan areas in the U.S. during the period of financial crisis and beyond. It also revealed some macro- and financial economics factors that were very important in driving housing market outcomes across these 400 places. “In our research we found that there was a much more pervasive macroeconomic and capital markets influence in local market conditions than was previously appreciated,” he says. “While long-standing analyses have emphasized the importance of local factors to metropolitan-specific housing cycles, our study showed the opposite outcome, in that common national factors appeared to strongly predominate in determination of local house price returns during the period of the financial crisis.”
Gabriel estimates he has taught roughly 3,000 students — and counting. The classroom environment, he says, “can be very dynamic, and that occurs when there is significant energy on the part of students and instructor, such as what arises in the context of a compelling and timely case study discussion. It’s exciting to see students who become enthusiastic and intellectually intrigued by the course material — it’s that curiosity that carries the student forward to be a lifetime learner.” He is the recipient of a number of awards for research and teaching excellence.
He currently holds a visiting professor position at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, where he is involved in research that relates to Israeli housing and mortgage markets. Gabriel’s fluency in Hebrew has come in handy when traveling to Israel with students for UCLA Anderson global immersion programs. He has also led trips to Mexico, Chile, Shanghai, Tokyo, Japan and Brazil.
As director of the Ziman Center, Gabriel says it’s “a rewarding platform in the sense that it allows deep and meaningful interactions with primary constituencies of UCLA — faculty, students, the professional community and alumni — and those who assess and make policy. We’ve recently launched initiatives that relate to housing affordability and sustainability here in California.”
Earlier in his career, Gabriel served on the economics staff of the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C., and as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. He previously held the position of president of the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association. He has testified before Congress and the California State Legislature on topics related to the 2000s financial crisis.
Frequently sought out as an industry expert, Gabriel has written for the New York Times and is often cited in the Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR and NBC. He serves on the editorial boards of seven academic journals and has published approximately 80 academic papers.
A triple degree holder from the University of California, Berkeley, Gabriel says he feels a “deep sense of gratitude to the UC system, as it so profoundly influenced my career.” He has served on numerous corporate boards, finding that work to be particularly rewarding and useful to his classroom work. He currently sits on the boards of KB Home and a number of real estate investment trusts.
In 2015, Gabriel and his family earned Jewish World Watch’s annual Global Soul award in recognition of their service and allegiance to the organization and its mission to curb, heal and intercept genocide worldwide.
When he’s not in the classroom, he can be found cheering on the Bruins (and Cal Bears). An avid outdoorsman, Gabriel spends many weekends in the Santa Monica Mountains hiking, biking, running or walking.
