INVESTIGATION OFRELATIONSHIPBETWEEN HOUSE PRICES AND MACROECONOMIC VARIABLES IN TURKEY

This study analyses the dynamic effects of macroeconomic variables (i.e. gross domestic product (GDP), money supply, short-run interest rates and exchange rates) on the house prices in Turkey for the period 2000-2006. Estimates of the long run relationship between house prices and macroeconomic variables are obtained using the Johansen cointegration test. The results of cointegration analysis suggest that there exists a long run relationship between house prices and macroeconomic variables. Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) is used to investigate of the short-run dynamic relationship between house prices and macroeconomic variables. The results of VEC Granger Causality/Block Exogeneity Wald Test show that thereis bi-directional causality between house prices and interest rates and exchange rates. It is observed that one-directional causality exists from gross domestic product and money supply to house prices.