Artificially increasing homeownership makes it harder for people to move because the fixed costs of buying and selling property are substantial, which distorts the labor market by reducing mobility when people are unemployed and could relocate for work.

causalpending

Speaker

Russ Roberts

Evidence Quote

the fixed costs of moving in and out of property are very substantial... we've distorted that choice dramatically by making it so relatively inexpensive to buy a house

Source

Arnold Kling on the Unseen World of Banking, Mortgages, and Government 07/5/2010EconTalk
Created: 6/13/2026, 7:04:06 PM

My Notes

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