Entry to Home-ownership in Germany: Some Comparisons with the United States

• Published in: Urban studies (Edinburgh, Scotland) Vol. 34; no. 1; pp. 7 - 19
• Main Authors: Clark, W. A. V., Deurloo, M. C., Dieleman, F. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England Carfax Publishing Company 01-01-1997; SAGE Publications; Longman Group; Sage Publications Ltd. (UK); Oliver and Boyd; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Bgi / Prodig; Comparison; Cross cultural studies; Decision analysis; Demographics; Dwellings; Economic analysis; Economic impact; Economic models; Economic rent; Family; Federal Republic of Germany; Germany; Home Ownership; Homeowners; House buying; Households; Housing; Housing market; Housing policy; Housing. Communiting; Human geography; Leases; Migrants; Migration; Mortgage loans; Ownership; Rent; Rental housing; Rental property; Residential Mobility; Tenure; U.S.A; United States; United States of America; Urban geography; USA; West Germany; United States of America; Germany; United States; United States > US; Household behaviour; Acquiring property; Residential choice; Family income; Residential mobility; Housing policy; Housing; Decision; Comparative study; Housing market
• ISSN: 0042-0980; 1360-063X
• DOI: 10.1080/0042098976249

New research on migration, mobility and housing tenure choice using the concept of the life-course is providing an enriched analysis of the context within which housing choices are made and of the demographic and economic variables which are critical determinants of the decisions to move and to change tenures. The availability of panel series data for the US and Germany allows cross-national comparisons of the migration and tenure choice processes. There are substantial differences in the rates of mobility and the rates of moves of households from the rental sector to ownership, especially for couples, but the results confirm the overall similarities in the mobility and tenure choice processes despite the differing government commitments to housing policy. The models show that it is primarily couples and families who make the transition to ownership and that income and number of earners are important in both contexts and German households have even higher incomes before they make the transition to ownership. At the same time, the tax benefits in Germany have also made it possible for families with relatively lower incomes to move to the ownership sector.