Union dissolution, unemployment and moving out of homeownership

In most West-European countries, homeowners do not usually move out of owner-occupation unless there is an urgent need to do so. Union dissolution and unemployment are events urging a move out of homeownership, not only directly following the event, but also some time later. Moves immediately after the event are caused by a direct change in the household situation and later moves by a decline in resources. Using multinomial regression analysis on retrospective data for the Netherlands, it is shown that the effect of separation on the probability of dropping out of owner-occupation is particularly strong. This effect is strongly gendered: women have a consistently higher probability than men. The lower economic independence of women is the most likely cause of this finding.