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Can interest rates really control house prices? Effectiveness and implications for macroprudential policy

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  • Shi, Song
  • Jou, Jyh-Bang
  • Tripe, David

Abstract

This paper investigates how changes in the central bank policy and retail mortgage rates affected real housing prices in New Zealand during the period 1999–2009. We find that real interest rates are significantly and positively related to real housing prices, indicating that increases in the policy rate may not be effective in depressing real housing prices. By testing interest rates, we also find some evidence of housing price bubbles. Our findings suggest that the central bank could have limited housing price bubbles if it had started to intervene in the housing market prior to 2003. Our results set international exemplars for using policy rates or macroprudential tools to cool the housing market, where the extent of policy rate adjustments is limited by internal or external economic factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Shi, Song & Jou, Jyh-Bang & Tripe, David, 2014. "Can interest rates really control house prices? Effectiveness and implications for macroprudential policy," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 15-28.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:47:y:2014:i:c:p:15-28
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2014.06.012
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    2. Yu, Shoujin & Zhang, Ling & Zeng, Yanni & Zhang, Hao, 2017. "Dual influences of regulatory polices on real estate enterprises’ investment —based on the perspective of supply-side reform in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 50-57.
    3. Indrani Manna, 2018. "Can We Still Lean Against the Wind?," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 223-259, April.
    4. Shi, Song & Yang, Zan & Tripe, David & Zhang, Huan, 2015. "Uncertainty and new apartment price setting: A real options approach," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(PB), pages 574-591.
    5. Dong Chen & Yanmin Gao & Mayank Kaul & Charles Ka Yui Leung & Desmond Tsang, 2016. "The Role of Sponsors and External Management on the Capital Structure of Asian-Pacific REITs: The Case of Australia, Japan, and Singapore," International Real Estate Review, Global Social Science Institute, vol. 19(2), pages 197-221.
    6. Jiang, Liang & Phillips, Peter C.B. & Yu, Jun, 2015. "New methodology for constructing real estate price indices applied to the Singapore residential market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(S2), pages 121-131.
    7. Song Shi & Vince Mangioni & Xin Janet Ge & Shanaka Herath & Fethi Rabhi & Rachida Ouysse, 2021. "House Price Forecasting from Investment Perspectives," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, September.
    8. Jaromir Baxa & Jan Zacek, 2022. "Monetary Policy and the Financial Cycle: International Evidence," Working Papers 2022/4, Czech National Bank.
    9. Sabine Winkler, 2017. "Housing, Finance, Policy and the Wider Economy," Journal of Management and Sustainability, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 7(2), pages 45-64, June.
    10. Shengguo Li & Jiaqi Liu & Jichang Dong & Xuerong Li, 2021. "20 Years of Research on Real Estate Bubbles, Risk and Exuberance: A Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-24, August.
    11. Wang, J., 2015. "Can a stochastic cusp catastrophe model explain housing market crashes?," CeNDEF Working Papers 15-12, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics in Economics and Finance.
    12. Rita Yi Man Li & Herru Ching Yu Li, 2018. "Have Housing Prices Gone with the Smelly Wind? Big Data Analysis on Landfill in Hong Kong," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-19, January.
    13. William D. Larson, 2022. "Effects of Mortgage Interest Rates on House Price Appreciation: The Role of Payment Constraints," FHFA Staff Working Papers 22-04, Federal Housing Finance Agency.
    14. Chiang, Shu-hen & Chen, Chien-Fu, 2022. "From systematic to systemic risk among G7 members: Do the stock or real estate markets matter?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    15. Stefanie Behncke, 2023. "Effects of Macroprudential Policies on Bank Lending and Credit Risks," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 63(2), pages 175-199, April.
    16. N. Kundan Kishor & Hardik A. Marfatia, 2017. "The Dynamic Relationship Between Housing Prices and the Macroeconomy: Evidence from OECD Countries," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 237-268, February.
    17. Diks, Cees & Wang, Juanxi, 2016. "Can a stochastic cusp catastrophe model explain housing market crashes?," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 68-88.
    18. Chung Yim Yiu, 2023. "A Natural Quasi-Experiment of the Monetary Policy Shocks on the Housing Markets of New Zealand during COVID-19," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-16, January.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Housing market; House price bubbles; Monetary policy; Mortgage lending rates;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand

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