The Propagation of Regional Shocks in Housing Markets: Evidence from Oil Price Shocks in Canada

48 Pages Posted: 8 Jul 2018

See all articles by Lutz Kilian

Lutz Kilian

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Xiaoqing Zhou

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas

Multiple version iconThere are 4 versions of this paper

Date Written: April 4, 2018

Abstract

Shocks to the demand for housing that originate in one region may seem important only for that regional housing market. We provide evidence that such shocks can also affect housing markets in other regions. Our analysis focuses on the response of Canadian housing markets to oil price shocks. We document that, at the national level, real oil price shocks account for 11% of the variability in real house price growth over time. At the regional level, we find that unexpected increases in the real price of oil raise real house prices not only in oil-producing regions, but also in other regions. We develop a theoretical model of the propagation of real oil price shocks across regions that helps understand this finding. The model differentiates between oil-producing and non-oil-producing regions and incorporates multiple sectors, trade between provinces, government redistribution, and consumer spending on fuel. We empirically confirm the model prediction that oil price shocks are transmitted to housing markets in nonoil-producing regions by the government redistribution of oil revenue and by increased interprovincial trade.

Keywords: House Price, Regional Heterogeneity, Oil Price, Redistribution, Resource Boom, Canada

JEL Classification: F43, Q33, Q43, R12, R31

Suggested Citation

Kilian, Lutz and Zhou, Xiaoqing, The Propagation of Regional Shocks in Housing Markets: Evidence from Oil Price Shocks in Canada (April 4, 2018). CESifo Working Paper Series No. 7005, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3198166 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3198166

Lutz Kilian (Contact Author)

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas ( email )

2200 North Pearl Street
PO Box 655906
Dallas, TX 75265-5906
United States

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

London
United Kingdom

Xiaoqing Zhou

Federal Reserve Banks - Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas ( email )

2200 North Pearl Street
PO Box 655906
Dallas, TX 75265-5906
United States

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