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PO4508: HOUSING ECONOMICS (2021-2022)

Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:05


Course Overview

Housing is a necessity and of interest to economists, policymakers, and investors alike. In this course, students will gain an understanding of the micro and macro-economic dimensions of housing markets. The course will also discuss the many different ways in which governments intervene in housing markets, such as land use regulation, rental law, and social housing support. The positive and normative aspects of these interventions will be discussed. The course has a comparative perspective throughout and discusses housing markets, regulation, and outcomes at hand of the UK, the US and Germany.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Term Second Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Rainer Schulz

Qualification Prerequisites

  • Programme Level 4

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The course starts with a benchmark model for the housing market, where actors have complete information and perfect foresight. The model is used to examine the interaction between user, asset, and development market in a frictionless setting. After that, the strong assumptions are relaxed, leading to the examination of search in the housing market, the discussion of submarkets, and an analysis of the decision on tenure choice and mortgage financing. This is followed by a discussion of government intervention in housing markets: rent controls, land use regulation, differential taxation of tenure models and assets, provision of social housing. The welfare implications of such interventions are discussed. The course finishes with an examination of housing and the macroeconomy.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Alternative Assessment

2x 2,000-word Essays (50% each)

Alternative Resit Assessment 

Release of brief with overarching topic and three questions related to it (100%)

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.

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