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Flattening the Curve: Pandemic-Induced Revaluation of Urban Real Estate

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  • Van Nieuwerburgh, Stijn
  • Gupta, Arpit
  • Mittal, Vrinda
  • Peeters, Jonas

Abstract

We show that the COVID-19 pandemic brought house price and rent declines in city centers, and price and rent increases away from the center, thereby flattening the bid-rent curve in most U.S. metropolitan areas. Across MSAs, the flattening of the bid-rent curve is larger when working from home is more prevalent, housing markets are more regulated, and supply is less elastic. Housing markets predict an urban revival with urban rent growth exceeding suburban rent growth for the foreseeable future, as working from home recedes.

Suggested Citation

  • Van Nieuwerburgh, Stijn & Gupta, Arpit & Mittal, Vrinda & Peeters, Jonas, 2021. "Flattening the Curve: Pandemic-Induced Revaluation of Urban Real Estate," CEPR Discussion Papers 16080, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:16080
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Covid-19; Land values; Bid-rent function; Working from home;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • R51 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Finance in Urban and Rural Economies
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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