The dynamisation and subsequent vulnerability of the Dutch owner-occupied sector. An analysis of 1986-2012

Abstract

This article investigates the backgrounds to changing residential mobility of Dutch owner-occupiers from 1986-2006 and during the 2008-2018 crisis. The Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition is used to disentangle the main factors at work. Households of all age groups and family types have become more mobile in 1986-2006, with the highest increase amongst the youngest age groups. Nonetheless, ageing of owner-occupiers has dampened the growth between 1986 and 2006, because older owner-occupiers usually move less frequently than younger age groups. Had this ageing process not taken place, the overall increase in mobility would have been much higher (about 3.5 percentage points) than the 1.4 percentage point observed. The overall compositional effect remains negative despite a shift from traditional families with children towards more singles and couples without children, who are more mobile. During the crisis of 2008-2012, high residential mobility rates amongst the young age groups took a sharp negative turn. Combined with their increased presence among owner-occupiers, this implies that the contemporary Dutch owner occupied sector is more vulnerable to economic shocks.