The Interwar Housing Cycle in the Light of 2001–2012
The Interwar Housing Cycle in the Light of 2001–2012
A Comparative Historical Perspective
This paper examines the interwar housing cycle in comparison to what transpired in the United States between 2001 and 2012. The 1920s experienced a boom in construction and prolonged retardation in building in the 1930s, with a swing in residential construction’s share of GDP and absolute volume, which was larger than occurred in the 2000s. In contrast, there was relatively little sustained movement in the real price of housing between 1919 and 1941. The upward and downward price movements were modest, certainly in comparison with more recent experience. The paper documents the higher degree of housing leverage in 2001-2012 and a rate of foreclosure on residential housing post-2006 that is likely higher than the rate endured during the 1930s. It concludes that balance sheet problems arising from the residential housing boom posed greater obstacles to recovery in the more recent period than they did in the interwar period.
Keywords: Great Depression, Great Recession, asset price bubbles, comparative historical approach, residential construction, housing leverage, foreclosure, balance sheet
Chicago Scholarship Online requires a subscription or purchase to access the full text of books within the service. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter.
Please, subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you think you should have access to this title, please contact your librarian.
To troubleshoot, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.
