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On the Negative Relationship between Labor Income Uncertainty and Homeownership: Risk Aversion vs. Credit Constraints

Author

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  • Luis Diaz-Serrano

    (National University of Ireland, Maynooth, IZA Bonn, CREB Barcelona)

Abstract

In this paper we test for the first time whether the driving force behind the negative effect of income uncertainty on owner-occupancy propensities is risk aversion or credit constraints. To disentangle this puzzle we estimate reduced form equations using Italian data. Consistent with the previous empirical evidence in the US, our results confirm that in Italy both labor income uncertainty and credit constraints exert a significant negative effect on the probability of homeownership. However, our main findings indicate that the negative relationship between labor income uncertainty and homeownership is driven by households’ risk aversion.

Suggested Citation

  • Luis Diaz-Serrano, 2005. "On the Negative Relationship between Labor Income Uncertainty and Homeownership: Risk Aversion vs. Credit Constraints," Economics Department Working Paper Series n1460105, Department of Economics, National University of Ireland - Maynooth.
    • Handle: RePEc:may:mayecw:n1460105
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Luis Diaz‐Serrano & Joop Hartog & Helena Skyt Nielsen, 2008. "Compensating Wage Differentials for Schooling Risk in Denmark," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 110(4), pages 711-731, December.
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    11. Peter Linneman & Susan Wachter, 1989. "The Impacts of Borrowing Constraints on Homeownership," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 17(4), pages 389-402, December.
    12. Diaz-Serrano, Luis, 2005. "Labor income uncertainty, skewness and homeownership: A panel data study for Germany and Spain," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 156-176, July.
    13. Linneman, Peter & Megbolugbe, Isaac F. & Wachter, Susan M. & Cho, Man, 1997. "Do Borrowing Constraints Change U.S. Homeownership Rates?," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(4), pages 318-333, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Homeownership; income uncertainty; credit constraints;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • R0 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General
    • J0 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General

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