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Optimal Contracts for Housing Services Purchases

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  • Borys Grochulski

Abstract

In this article, we study tradeoffs associated with homeownership and renting. We consider a model in which housing capital generates housing services, but also requires regular maintenance. A household wants to purchase a flow of housing services. Maintenance on the house providing this flow to the household can be performed by the household itself or by an outside property manager. We abstract from taxes or other government distortions. The household contracts with a bank/landlord that has funds sufficient to make a lumpy housing investment. We do not assume that the bank/landlord can observe the household's effort, consumption, or savings. We show that simple renting of the house from the bank/landlord is an optimal contract for the provision of housing services to the household, conditional on the outside property manager being hired. If the manager is not hired, it is optimal for the bank/landlord to lend the money to the household to acquire housing services by purchasing a home. In this arrangement, the bank's interest is secured by a zero-down, fixed-rate mortgage with a clause prohibiting subordinated financing. We use a parameterized example to compare the values that an average household can obtain in the renting contract against the owning contract. In this example, renting clearly wins.

Suggested Citation

  • Borys Grochulski, 2011. "Optimal Contracts for Housing Services Purchases," Economic Quarterly, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, issue 1Q, pages 67-93.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedreq:y:2011:i:1q:p:67-93:n:v.97no.1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rosen, Harvey S & Rosen, Kenneth T, 1980. "Federal Taxes and Homeownership: Evidence from Time Series," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 88(1), pages 59-75, February.
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    3. John P. Shelton, 1968. "The Cost of Renting versus Owning a Home," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 44(1), pages 59-72.
    4. Lucas, Deborah (ed.), 2010. "Measuring and Managing Federal Financial Risk," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226496580.
    5. Chambers, Matthew & Garriga, Carlos & Schlagenhauf, Don E., 2009. "Housing policy and the progressivity of income taxation," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(8), pages 1116-1134, November.
    6. repec:bla:jfinan:v:44:y:1989:i:2:p:499-508 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Dunn, Kenneth B & Spatt, Chester S, 1985. "An Analysis of Mortgage Contracting: Prepayment Penalties and the Due-on-Sale Clause," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 40(1), pages 293-308, March.
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    Keywords

    Mortgages; Housing; Taxation;
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