Access to adequate accommodation, at an appropriate price and location, is central to life chances and social participation. Housing is the single largest investment that many households make, and housing choices fundamentally affect the distribution of wealth, social mobility and intergenerational transfer. Recent events have demonstrated that volatility and instability in housing markets can have dramatic consequences for the wider economy and that governments have an important role to play in shaping how housing markets operate. Housing Economics focuses upon contemporary developments and the cutting edge of research in the field although some reference to classic studies is also made.