Consumption and savings

In the area of consumption and savings, AKF conducts research into, among other things:

• Home buying
• Credit restrictions
• How home prices influence private consumption and savings.

Home buying and the general welfare of households

When people buy a home, they are making a very comprehensive financial decision that influences many other consumption-related decisions for an entire lifetime. AKF conducts research into, among other things, how consumption is influenced by fluctuations in home prices; how the decision to buy a home influences other types of savings in a household; how consumption-related decisions and savings are influenced by financial incentives, and how consumption is influenced by increased liberalisation of the credit markets. All these things play a role in the general welfare of the individual household, but they can also play a role in the effectiveness of financial policy initiatives.