Housing Decisions, Family Types and Gender. A Cross-National Perspective

Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) Working Paper Series 2016-10

39 Pages Posted: 6 Aug 2016

See all articles by Eva Sierminska

Eva Sierminska

LISER; DIW Berlin - German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP); IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Maria Cristina Rossi

University of Turin

Date Written: July 14, 2016

Abstract

In this paper we shall examine homeownership trends over the past 3 to 4 decades and discuss differences related to the homeownership gap for women and men, with a focus on most recent trends. We shall compare differences in the US to those in countries with different institutional structures and shall pay particular attention to differences across family types. Our estimation techniques will allow us to discuss the role of determinants from a gender perspective. We find that single women are better off than single men without children and a reverse trend exists in families with children. The general negative effect for women remains for younger cohorts in the face of risking homeownership. The latest crisis did not change the general long-running trend of the homeownership gap except for the US and France. The findings of this paper could provide an international perspective on differential homeownership rates among women and men, across countries and over time. Given that the value of one’s own home (home equity) is the largest financial reserve in a household’s wealth portfolio, it is important to have a better understanding of the differences resulting from gender and family types.

Keywords: housing, wealth, gender, homeownership, time trends

JEL Classification: D01, D03, J01

Suggested Citation

Sierminska, Eva and Rossi, Maria Cristina, Housing Decisions, Family Types and Gender. A Cross-National Perspective (July 14, 2016). Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) Working Paper Series 2016-10, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2818839 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2818839

Eva Sierminska (Contact Author)

LISER ( email )

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Luxembourg

HOME PAGE: http://www.sierminska.eu

DIW Berlin - German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP)

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Berlin, 10117
Germany

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Maria Cristina Rossi

University of Turin ( email )

Via Po 53
Torino, Turin - Piedmont 10100
Italy

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