Housing: Microdata, macro problems

A host of issues continue to limit understanding of the role housing markets play in the dynamics of financial markets, labour markets, and the wider macro economy. Mortgage and bankruptcy constraints, individual tenure and portfolio choices, potential frictions in the labour, housing and mortgage markets remain promising avenues for theoretical and empirical research and debate. Arguments about policies often hinge on particular modelling assumptions. Which assumptions are of first-order importance? Microdata or theoretical models that shed light on these issues are sought.

The conference will feature papers that tackle housing issues from a variety of angles. Participants from near and far are invited.

Topics to be discussed include:

• Dynamic equilibrium with heterogeneous housing quality
• Mortgage and bankruptcy constraints in equilibrium
• Role of individuals' beliefs and expectations about income and house prices
• Interactions between housing and labour market choices
• Tenure choice: why does anyone buy a house?
• Housing supply
• Contracting frictions in housing and mortgage markets
• Search and matching in housing markets
• The effects of recent and not-so recent housing policies
• International comparisons.

Speakers include:

• James Banks (IFS and Manchester)
• Patrick Bayer (Duke)
• Philippe Bracke (LSE)
• Joao Cocco (London Business School)
• Antonia Díaz (Carlos III de Madrid)
• Ben Etheridge (Essex)
• Kris Gerardi (Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta)
• Andra Ghent (Arizona State)
• Christian Hilber (LSE)
• Hamish Low (Cambridge)
• Kurt Mitman (Pennsylvania)
• Henry Overman (LSE)
• Søren Leth Petersen (Københavns)
• Holger Sieg (Pennsylvania)
• María José Luengo Prado (Northeastern)
• Gabriel Lee (Regensburg)
• Eric Smith (Essex)
• Derek Stacey (Queens', Ontario)
• Irina Telyukova (UCSD)
• Marcelo Veracierto (Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago)