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Recent housing affordability in urban China: A comprehensive overview

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  • Li, Keyang
  • Qin, Yu
  • Wu, Jing

Abstract

In this study, we provide a comprehensive overview of housing affordability in China from both the macro and micro perspectives. We extend the scope of housing affordability analysis to all Chinese cities based on a unique panel dataset in 275 Chinese prefecture cities from 2014 to 2018. We also make a novel methodological contribution to the literature by employing micro-level data from an anonymous major Chinese city in 2015. Our results suggest that the overall level of housing affordability in Chinese cities remained relatively stable or even improved during the sample period. However, we identify a few “superstar cities,” such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Xiamen, which are associated with a serious housing affordability problem. This problem arises from both a shortage of supply in the space market and a potential mispricing in the asset market, and may have a spillover effect on surrounding cities due to home purchase restrictions in the superstar cities. Within these cities, the housing affordability problem leads to longer commuting time due to the separation of home and workplace, and lower housing space consumption for the residents.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Keyang & Qin, Yu & Wu, Jing, 2020. "Recent housing affordability in urban China: A comprehensive overview," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:chieco:v:59:y:2020:i:c:s1043951x19301233
    DOI: 10.1016/j.chieco.2019.101362
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    4. Alexander Lord & Chi-Wan Cheang & Richard Dunning, 2022. "Understanding the geography of affordable housing provided through land value capture: Evidence from England," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(6), pages 1219-1237, May.
    5. Nie, Peng & Li, Qiaoge & Sousa-Poza, Alfonso, 2022. "Housing Unaffordability and Adolescent Subjective Well-Being in China," IZA Discussion Papers 15305, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Gyourko, Joseph & Shen, Yang & Wu, Jing & Zhang, Rongjie, 2022. "Land finance in China: Analysis and review," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    7. Zheng, Longfei & Chang, Zheng & Martinez, Andrea González, 2022. "High-speed rail, market access, and the rise of consumer cities: Evidence from China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 165(C), pages 454-470.
    8. Yaoxuan Huang & Victor Jing Li & Daikun Wang, 2024. "New town development and housing affordability: A case study in Hong Kong," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 51(3), pages 763-777, March.
    9. Sumit Agarwa & Yongheng Deng & Quanlin Gu & Jia He & Wenlan Qian & Yuan Ren, 2022. "Mortgage Debt, Hand-to-Mouth Households, and Monetary Policy Transmission [Policy intervention in debt renegotiation: evidence from the home affordable modification program]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(3), pages 487-520.
    10. Mengkai Chen & Yidong Wu & Guiwen Liu & Xianzhu Wang, 2020. "City economic development, housing availability, and migrants' settlement intentions: Evidence from China," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 1239-1258, September.
    11. Agarwal, Sumit & Li, Keyang & Qin, Yu & Wu, Jing & Yan, Jubo, 2020. "Tax evasion, capital gains taxes, and the housing market," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    12. Miguel Lorga & João Fragoso Januário & Carlos Oliveira Cruz, 2022. "Housing Affordability, Public Policy and Economic Dynamics: An Analysis of the City of Lisbon," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, November.
    13. Biao Sun & Shan Yang, 2020. "Asymmetric and Spatial Non-Stationary Effects of Particulate Air Pollution on Urban Housing Prices in Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-23, October.
    14. Targa, Matteo & Yang, Li, 2023. "The impact of communist party membership on wealth distribution and accumulation in urban China," ZEW Discussion Papers 23-057, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    15. Xiaoguang Liu & Jian Yu & Tsun Se Cheong & Michal Wojewodzki, 2022. "The Future Evolution of Housing Price-to-Income Ratio in 171 Chinese Cities," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 23(1), pages 159-196, May.
    16. Huang, Naqun & Ning, Guangjie & Rong, Zhao, 2022. "Destination homeownership and labor force participation: Evidence from rural-to-urban migrants in China," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    17. , Matteo & Yang, Li, 2023. "The Impact of Communist Party Membership on Wealth Distribution and Accumulation in Urban China," SocArXiv y4pwa, Center for Open Science.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Housing affordability; Superstar city; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets
    • C43 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Index Numbers and Aggregation

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