spring 2006
CRP 388:
Housing Demand and Production
Educational Objective
Housing Demand and Production is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the economic, physical, and behavioral forces which impact the price and availability of housing. Though some attention is paid to the history of housing subsidy programs, the course is more concerned with the private sector. The emphasis is upon establishing linkages between buyers and sellers in the market. Students completing the course will be capable of performing thorough analyses with regard to the affordability of housing across the full range of housing costs and prices.
Educational Approach
The course is divided into five major segments, with each to receive roughly equal emphasis. Five field trips are scheduled during class time in the Austin area. Field trips are selected commensurate with course content and are used as part of the formal presentation of course material. The semester concludes with student presentations of term paper topics, a summary, and a look at the future of housing markets.
Course Content
The five major topics are as follows: financial institutions and governmental programs; mortgage finance and housing costs; theories of housing supply and demand; housing production and the real estate industry; and housing affordability. A partial list of sub-topics within the above includes tax code impacts, environmental regulation, integration, location, and construction materials and methodology. The full list of topics covered is in the attached Course Outline.
Basis for Evaluation
2 quizzes @ 33.33%
1 term paper @ 33.34%
Required Reference
The course reader is available at Jenn's Copying.