This paper analyses the factors influencing the level and volatility of real house prices in a panel of OECD countries over the period 1980-2005. Results suggest that real house prices tend to rise proportionally with real household incomes, while declines in structural unemployment and real...

While pronounced cycles in house prices have been a major cause of macroeconomic instability in the past, current house price developments do not yet suggest an overheating of the housing market. However, several important concerns are related to both direct effects of housing markets on overall...

Réduire la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale est un objectif essentiel de tous les gouvernements français. Même si la pauvreté, telle que mesurée conventionnellement, est en fait moins répandue que dans beaucoup d’autres pays, son ampleur est plus importante que ce qui peut être...

Le logement joue un rôle de premier plan dans l’économie de par son importance pour la dépense et le patrimoine des ménages, le bien-être, et aussi en raison de ses retombées sur les performances scolaires et l’emploi, et sur le cycle d’activité. Depuis un demi-siècle,...

Despite a high level of homeownership, the housing market in Poland is suffering from an important shortage. The difference between the number households and available dwellings, the number of dwellings per thousand inhabitants, and the availability of basic amenities (especially in rural areas)...

The Irish housing market is very buoyant. The housing boom is driven by strong economic growth, dynamic demographics and low interest rates. However, large tax advantages and relatively lenient credit policies by banks have also played their part, and prices may have become overvalued. To the...

Reducing poverty and social exclusion is an important objective for all French governments. Even though conventionally measured poverty is in fact lower than in most other countries, it is still higher than can be easily accepted. The current policy approach involves a large number of measures...