Housing, Mobility and Unemployment

44 Pages Posted: 1 Dec 2000

See all articles by Thomas J. Dohmen

Thomas J. Dohmen

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA); Maastricht University - Business Investment Research Center (BIRC)

Date Written: November 2000

Abstract

This paper develops a model that shows why high-skilled workers move more and are therefore unemployed less than low-skilled workers. The model can explain the paradoxical empirical regularity that higher owner-occupation rates are associated with higher levels of unemployment although home-owners tend to be unemployed less. The choice of housing tenure affects moving costs and thereby regional mobility and unemployment. The paper analyzes the impact of symmetric and asymmetric shocks on mobility and unemployment, and discusses effects of government intervention in the housing market. In addition, it is shown that moving costs reduce job search effort and search effectiveness.

Keywords: Housing, mobility, unemployment

JEL Classification: J6

Suggested Citation

Dohmen, Thomas, Housing, Mobility and Unemployment (November 2000). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=252016 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.252016

Thomas Dohmen (Contact Author)

Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) ( email )

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

Maastricht University - Business Investment Research Center (BIRC) ( email )

P.O. Box 616
Maastricht, 6200 MD
Netherlands
+31-43-388 3832 (Phone)
+31-43-388 4856 (Fax)

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