Why Have Housing Prices Gone Up?

36 Pages Posted: 11 Mar 2005 Last revised: 30 Nov 2022

See all articles by Edward L. Glaeser

Edward L. Glaeser

Harvard University - Department of Economics; Brookings Institution; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Joseph Gyourko

University of Pennsylvania - Real Estate Department; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Raven E. Saks

U.S. Federal Reserve - Division of Research and Statistics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: February 2005

Abstract

Since 1950, housing prices have risen regularly by almost two percent per year. Between 1950 and 1970, this increase reflects rising housing quality and construction costs. Since 1970, this increase reflects the increasing difficulty of obtaining regulatory approval for building new homes. In this paper, we present a simple model of regulatory approval that suggests a number of explanations for this change including changing judicial tastes, decreasing ability to bribe regulators, rising incomes and greater tastes for amenities, and improvements in the ability of homeowners to organize and influence local decisions. Our preliminary evidence suggests that there was a significant increase in the ability of local residents to block new projects and a change of cities from urban growth machines to homeowners' cooperatives.

Suggested Citation

Glaeser, Edward L. and Gyourko, Joseph E. and Saks, Raven E., Why Have Housing Prices Gone Up? (February 2005). NBER Working Paper No. w11129, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=666009

Edward L. Glaeser (Contact Author)

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Joseph E. Gyourko

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Raven E. Saks

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