The Unassuming Economist

On cross-country:

• In the first quarter of 2025, global real house prices fell by 1.0% year on year (yoy), representing a slower pace of decline compared with the second half of 2024 (–1.6%). Prices in advanced economies continued to recover, rising by 1.2% yoy. Meanwhile, emerging market economies experienced a slower decrease, mainly driven by a continued fall in Asia. – BIS
• Why South Korea and Japan are turning against foreign homebuyers. South Koreans and Japanese are understandably irked by the ease with which foreigners can acquire real estate when locals are struggling – South China Morning Post

Working papers and conferences:

• Conference: Opening Doors: Data and Analytics Shedding Light on Housing Challenges – Reserve Bank of Australia
• Does rent control increase tenant unemployment? – Journal of Urban Economics
• Precision Without Labels: Detecting Cross-Applicants in Mortgage Data Using Unsupervised Learning – Philadelphia Fed

On China:

• China’s Social Housing Policies Steer Local Government and LGFV Investment – Fitch

On Australia and New Zealand:

• [Australia] Australia house prices climb in August as demand outstrips supply, Cotality says – Reuters
• [Australia] Australia Home Prices Rise for Seventh Month After Rate Cuts – Bloomberg
• [Australia] House prices to set to jump after months of steady growth – Financial Review
• [Australia] Housing pain looms this spring as first-home buyers fight investors. Rate cuts, strong demand and a lack of supply will turn the traditional spring selling season into a pitched battle for the same homes. It will end in tears. – Financial Review
• [New Zealand] New Zealand Home-Building Approvals Stuck in 15-Month Slumber – Bloomberg 
• [New Zealand] New Zealand reverses course to let some foreign investors buy homes – Reuters
• [New Zealand] New Zealand Opens Luxury Home Market to Golden-Visa Holders – Bloomberg
• [New Zealand] New Zealand House Prices Drop to Two-Year Low in Weak Economy – Bloomberg 

On other countries:  

• [Canada] Toronto Home Prices Keep Sliding as Buyers See Jump in Listings – Bloomberg 
• [Costa Rica] Costa Rica’s Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [Egypt] Egypt scraps decades-old rent caps, fuelling eviction fears – Reuters
• [France] France’s Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [Hungary] Hungary’s Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [India] India Affordable Housing – 2025. This report examines supply-side challenges in India’s affordable housing sector and puts forth viable suggestions to address them – Knight Frank
• [Israel] Israel’s Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [Ireland] Ireland’s Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [Mexico] La crisis de la vivienda detrás de las protestas contra la gentrificación en México. En Monterrey o Ciudad de México, los precios de compra y renta de vivienda se han triplicado en la última década, motivados por un rezago habitacional en deuda – El Pais
• [Spain] Hasta 23 euros por un metro cuadrado de alquiler: así se han disparado los precios en cinco años – El Pais
• [Thailand] Thailand’s Residential Property Market Analysis 2025 – Global Property Guide
• [United Kingdom] UK house prices unexpectedly fell in August, Nationwide data shows – Reuters
• [United Kingdom] UK house prices in surprise fall amid high mortgage costs. Average price for a home drops by 0.1% to £271,079 in August compared with July, according to Nationwide – The Guardian
• [United Kingdom] UK lenders approved most mortgages in six months in July – Reuters
• [United Kingdom] UK lenders approved most mortgages for six months in July, says BoE. Data points to continued recovery in property transactions – FT
• [United Kingdom] Ministers urged to put brakes on offices in England being turned into homes. Housing providers and charities want development rights abolished amid concern over lack of affordable homes – The Guardian
• [United Kingdom] Making British homes affordable again. Politicians have long blamed a housing shortage for soaring prices, but it is tax reform that can make the market less dysfunctional – FT