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Explaining intercity home price differences

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Abstract

This paper develops and tests an equilibrium model seeking to explain intercity variation in owner-occupied housing prices. Empirical tests with a reduced form equation using aggregated 1980 data on 94 SMSAs suggest explanation for 84% of this intercity home price variation. Intercity housing demand, based upon homeowner “quality of life” equilibrium, is successfully represented by the “non-monetary income” determinant of climate mildness in addition to several monetary income determinants that reflect household residual after-tax real income. Intercity housing supply was found to be influenced by intercity variation in construction costs and limitations upon the available supply of undeveloped urban land.

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Manning, C.A. Explaining intercity home price differences. J Real Estate Finan Econ 2, 131–149 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00159795

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