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Housing and unemployment: The search for the “American Dream”

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  • Reed, Robert R.
  • Ume, Ejindu S.

Abstract

This paper constructs a model of search and bargaining across two different markets: the labor market and the housing market. Interestingly, the model highlights that housing prices and frictions in the housing market have a profound impact on labor market activity through the desire of workers to eventually purchase a home, the “American Dream.” In particular, higher housing prices adversely affect workers’ incentives in the labor market as employment can eventually lead to access to housing through the ability to purchase a home. Similarly, labor market frictions can impact housing market activity. Notably, tighter housing markets are associated with higher unemployment rates and less job creation. Consequently, our work suggests that policymakers should be very careful in implementing policies targeted towards housing – housing markets are likely to generate significant external effects to other sectors of the economy, especially the labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Reed, Robert R. & Ume, Ejindu S., 2016. "Housing and unemployment: The search for the “American Dream”," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 72-86.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:48:y:2016:i:c:p:72-86
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmacro.2016.01.001
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    Cited by:

    1. Osei, Michael J. & Winters, John V., 2018. "Labor Demand Shocks and Housing Prices across the US: Does One Size Fit All?," IZA Discussion Papers 11636, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. John J. García & Daniel Mateo Cossio & Ricardo Mesa Urhan, 2017. "Efectos de mecanismos institucionales en el precio de la vivienda nueva en Medellín," Documentos de Trabajo de Valor Público 15658, Universidad EAFIT.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Housing; Unemployment; Search frictions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E60 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General

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