House Prices and Birth Rates: The Impact of the Real Estate Market on the Decision to Have a Baby
Our estimates suggest that a 10 percent increase in house prices would lead to a 4 percent increase in births among home owners, and a roughly one percent decrease among non-owners. The net effect of house price changes on birth rates varies across demographic groups based on rates of home ownership. Our paper provides evidence that homeowners use some of their increased housing wealth, coming from increases in local area house prices, to fund their childbearing goals. More generally, the finding of a “home equity effect” demonstrates empirically that imperfect credit markets affect fertility timing.
---------------
So then when the prices fall do people put their kids up for adoption?
2 comments:
I recall seeing research some years ago that linked a subjective sense of prosperity to population growth. When people are feeling more prosperous they are more inclined to want to have children.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXRjmyJFzrU (not safe for work)
Post a Comment