The Impact of Housing Markets on Consumer Debt: Credit Report Evidence from 1999 to 2012

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Money, Credit, and Banking
Year: 2015
Volume: 47
Issue: S1
Pages: 175-213

Authors (3)

META BROWN (not in RePEc) SARAH STEIN (not in RePEc) BASIT ZAFAR (University of Michigan)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We estimate the response of consumer debt portfolios to pronounced housing market swings from 1999 to 2012 using Equifax‐sourced credit report data and a variety of identification approaches. We find: (i) the extraordinary climb in home equity debt from 2002 to 2006 is an expression of a stable, longer‐term relationship between house price growth and home equity borrowing; (ii) all preboom homeowners, and older and prime postboom homeowners, demonstrate near dollar‐for‐dollar substitution between (expensive) credit card and (cheap) home equity debt in response to home equity changes; and (iii) little evidence of substitution between home equity and student loan debt.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:wly:jmoncb:v:47:y:2015:i:s1:p:175-213
Journal Field
Macro
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-29