Abstract

I estimate the impact of new housing supply on the local rent distribution, exploiting weather shocks during the construction phase as an instrument. New supply decreases rents at all quality levels. Building on a quantitative dynamic model of housing quality and tenure choice, I explain this pattern by secondary housing supply: New supply to the owner-occupier market triggers a cascade of moves in the rental market, freeing up units across the housing quality spectrum. This mechanism has implications for housing policy, the integration of the housing market, and the integration of new- and used-product markets in general.