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Michael Wiebe's avatar

To shift only high-end demand (without also shifting low-end demand), we could use a Bartik shifter for IT workers. See:

https://www.fpeckert.me/EGW.pdf

Michael Wiebe's avatar

But the exclusion restriction can fail if high-end demand affects low-end rents separately from the housing ladder channel, eg. by inducing low-skill employment.

Michael Wiebe's avatar

Another option: use the foreign buyer demand shock from Sakong or Gorback and Keys, which could be a cleaner high-end-only shock.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xcfvjp4xVudOpjH0WmXu0VGZ0hcb6-gb/view

https://www.nber.org/papers/w27370

Alex Kouzemtchenko's avatar

Evan Mast and Liang & Kindström have papers showing the housing markets are connected by examining the effects of adding new supply, which seems more policy relevant.

Michael Wiebe's avatar

Yup, that's the opposite direction: increase high-end supply, reduce low-end prices.

https://www.buildingabundance.ca/p/vacancy-chains