The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
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Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#2[deleted]
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#3> This paper studies the effects of rent control on the housing wealth of renters, landlords, and homeowners. Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8%.
This seems like too short-term a study. The argument against artificially holding prices down is that people won't produce as much as they would otherwise and people won't be able to get the thing they would otherwise buy. So what we're predicting a rent control policy will do is cause a shortage of rental accommodation in the area.
Now how that expresses itself in an accounting sense, who knows (probably the economists). Good question to study. But I doubt the impacts of rent control would appear in the market this quickly, it'd take years for the market signals to be measurable. Initially rent controls will probably be set near the previously ideal market price, I'd guess there are a lot of 12 month leases and housing construction projects probably don't reset that quickly either.
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#4> Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul,
Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8%
This to me is the big one. So in addition to rents being more affordable (even if wealthier renters capture most of the gains) limiting the rental market profits also makes houses more affordable to buy? The paper is trying to argue this is bad, but I’m not seeing it.
It’s almost like “rent-seeking behavior” is a negative pejorative of an actor’s actions that negatively influence the market.
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#5> Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8% This to me is the big one. So in addition to rents being more affordable (even if wealthier renters capture most of the gains) limiting the rental market profits also makes houses more affordable to buy? The paper is trying to argue this is bad, but I’m not seeing it. It’s almost l…
It's worrying because it reduces the incentive to build more housing.
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#6> This paper studies the effects of rent control on the housing wealth of renters, landlords, and homeowners. Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8%. This seems like too short-term a study. The argument against artificially holding prices down is that people won't produce as much as they would otherwise and people won't b…
> But I doubt the impacts of rent control would appear in the market this quickly, it'd take years for the market signals to be measurable.
Hard disagree. Rational investors have no problem whatsoever projecting the impact to future cash flows and adjusting the amount they're willing to pay now. That's like saying the stock market wouldn't respond quickly to changes in next year's tax law.
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#7> This paper studies the effects of rent control on the housing wealth of renters, landlords, and homeowners. Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8%. This seems like too short-term a study. The argument against artificially holding prices down is that people won't produce as much as they would otherwise and people won't b…
> But I doubt the impacts of rent control would appear in the market this quickly, it'd take years for the market signals to be measurable. Hard disagree. Rational investors have no problem whatsoever projecting the impact to future cash flows and adjusting the amount they're willing to pay now. That's like saying the stock market wouldn't respond quickly to changes in next year's tax law.
I think you're wildly overestimating the rationality of investors.
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#8> This paper studies the effects of rent control on the housing wealth of renters, landlords, and homeowners. Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8%. This seems like too short-term a study. The argument against artificially holding prices down is that people won't produce as much as they would otherwise and people won't b…
> But I doubt the impacts of rent control would appear in the market this quickly, it'd take years for the market signals to be measurable. Hard disagree. Rational investors have no problem whatsoever projecting the impact to future cash flows and adjusting the amount they're willing to pay now. That's like saying the stock market wouldn't respond quickly to changes in next year's tax law.
both can be true if we separate short-term from a long-term effect. Panic or other emotional reactions are quick, that's for sure.
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#9> Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8% This to me is the big one. So in addition to rents being more affordable (even if wealthier renters capture most of the gains) limiting the rental market profits also makes houses more affordable to buy? The paper is trying to argue this is bad, but I’m not seeing it. It’s almost l…
It's worrying because it reduces the incentive to build more housing.
How do you quantify "incentive"? Is a landlord really looking at 5% lower property value and deciding it's not worth investing? Is this even true in aggregate?
Re: The redistribution of housing wealth caused by rent control (2023) [pdf]
#10> This paper studies the effects of rent control on the housing wealth of renters, landlords, and homeowners. Over the nine months following the passage of rent control in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2021, average property values fell by 4.4% to 5.8%. This seems like too short-term a study. The argument against artificially holding prices down is that people won't produce as much as they would otherwise and people won't b…
> But I doubt the impacts of rent control would appear in the market this quickly, it'd take years for the market signals to be measurable. Hard disagree. Rational investors have no problem whatsoever projecting the impact to future cash flows and adjusting the amount they're willing to pay now. That's like saying the stock market wouldn't respond quickly to changes in next year's tax law.
Except the housing market, especially the rental market, is still significantly driven by small rental property owners and is a significant source of generational wealth transfer.
Starting with the assumption that all or even most investors / actors are rational is a continuing pox on both economic scholarship and societal thinking