Are homeowners really more unemployed?

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelfagfællebedømt

This article investigates the effects of homeownership on labour mobility and unemployment duration. We distinguish between finding employment locally or being geographically mobile. We find that homeownership hampers the propensity to move for job reasons, but improves the chances of finding local jobs, which is in accordance with the predictions from our theoretical model. The overall hazard rate into employment is higher for homeowners, such that there is a negative correlation between homeownership and unemployment duration. Our empirical findings thus contradict the so-called Oswald hypothesis, even if support is found for the main mechanism behind the hypothesis, namely that homeownership hampers mobility
OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftEconomic Journal
Vol/bind116
Udgave nummer514
Sider (fra-til)991-1013
ISSN0013-0133
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2006

Bibliografisk note

JEL Classification: J60, R20

ID: 314098