Determinants of Housing Prices in South Africa: The Impact of Covid-19

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aims to determine the relationship between selected macroeconomic and market variables, and South African housing prices, and the influence that Covid-19 had on South African housing prices, after holding for the effect of the change in selected macroeconomic, and market variables on housing prices. Method: Housing prices were determined via the macroeconomic and market variables of economic growth, unemployment, inflation, household debt-to-income, interest rates, foreign exchange rates, stock market returns, and Covid-19. Data collected were analysed using correlation and hierarchical multiple regression tests. Results: The findings indicated that pre-existing relationships between housing prices and traditional determinants of unemployment and household debt-to-income have changed. The results also indicated that housing prices increased during Covid-19 over-and-above the expected increase attributed to changes in the other selected predictor variables. Conclusion: These results provide an updated collection of housing price predictors for practitioners to utilise post-pandemic.