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by HWR_14 1505 days ago
> A majority of consistent voters own homes and want house prices to increase.

Are there actually data that say that? I'd only expect data to exist on the first half, but there may also be data (as opposed to a fairly good supposition) from the second.
1 comments
jrumbut 1505 days ago
If we ignore the word majority (since that will vary by jurisdiction I'm sure) and say that homeowners are more likely to vote and pay particular attention to issues that affect their home's price then this recent paper does provide some support: https://www.andrewbenjaminhall.com/homeowner.pdf

I'll say from personal experience, it does change your perspective. If a sewage treatment plant moves in next door, I can't move like a renter can. It's a feeling of real vulnerability that I didn't fully understand until I felt it.

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HWR_14 1504 days ago
Thanks for the paper.

I understand the NIMBY-ism. I do wonder how much people care about the value of their house going up if they don't plan to sell soon. There are advantages to your home being less valuable and the only disadvantages come if you want to leverage your home more, refinance (not likely with rates going up) or sell it.

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jrumbut 1504 days ago
If they didn't care except when they were selling, that makes the effect of them being more consistent voters on zoning issues hard to explain.

I think this idea of wanting your house price to be low to avoid property taxes then suddenly increase the value when it's time to sell is like the idea of having your employer pay a trust so you can collect food stamps 11 months of the year then the trust pays you all your money in December.

It might be possible and it wouldn't shock me if a few people do it but it's not the normal approach.

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HWR_14 1504 days ago
> the effect of them being more consistent voters on zoning issues hard to explain.

No one wants to live next to a dump. That's why it affects property values. Because it also effects living conditions.

Meanwhile, a lot of people never plan to sell their home. Yes, if you plan on moving soon, you care about property values going up. If your horizon is 10 years, 20 years, or your kids selling the place? Less so.

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