The Political Economy of Housing Development in Africa

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to consider the dynamic behavior of housing markets. I first set out a model in which interest rates affect the implicit rental value of housing and indicate how the latter is related to the stock demand for housing and new construction. Using this model and the actual values of U.S. mortgage interest rates in the late 60's and 70's I then find those values of the model's parameters most consistent with fluctuations in new construction in that period. Finally, I simulate the effects of various shocks to the model. © 1988.