MOVING BEHAVIOR AND RESIDENTIAL CHOICE - A NATIONAL SURVEY

Abstract

INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED OF A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF 1500 HOUSEHOLDS IN VARIOUS METROPOLITAN AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES TO DEVELOP LOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS FOR DESIRED HOME TYPE, PRICE RANGES, TRAVEL ACCESS MIXES, AND LIVING QUALITIES. A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVELOPED FOR THIS PURPOSE BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA WHICH WAS TO APPLY TO ALL URBAN AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT WAS CAREFULLY DESIGNED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR TESTING SPECIFIC HYPOTHESIS ABOUT HOUSEHOLD BEHAVIOR, AS WELL AS PROVIDING A PROFILE OF CURRENT BEHAVIOR. INTERVIEWS, ABOUT ONE HOUR IN LENGTH, WERE CONDUCTED IN 43 METROPOLITAN AREAS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. THE STUDY IDENTIFIES KEY VARIABLES UNDERLYING THE BEHAVIOR OF HOUSEHOLDS WITH RESPECT TO BOTH RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY AND RESIDENTIAL CHOICE. EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THE MARGINAL CHANGE, THE INCREMENT OF ACTUAL HOUSEHOLD MOBILITY AND CHOICE IN A GIVEN TIME PERIOD, RATHER THAN ON CHANGE IN THE WHOLE RESIDENTIAL PATTERN. HOUSING PREFERENCES ARE STUDIED THROUGH ANALYSIS OF THE HOUSEHOLD'S ATTITUDES AND THEIR CHOICES IN THE HOUSING MARKET. IN ADDITION TO BUDGET AND FAMILY-SIZE FACTORS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ATTITUDINAL AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH HAVE A PRONOUNCED EFFECT ON THE WILLINGNESS OF URBAN HOUSEHOLDS TO MOVE AND ON THE WAY IN WHICH THEY MAKE HOUSING CHOICES. THE INTERVIEWS PROVIDED INFORMATION ON EACH HOUSEHOLD'S CURRENT AND PREVIOUS PLACE OF RESIDENCE, THE HOUSEHOLD'S CHOICE OF ITS CURRENT RESIDENCE, ACCESSIBILITY, OPPORTUNITIES, AND PREFERENCES OF THE HOUSEHOLD, DWELLING UNIT AND NEIGHBORHOOD PREFERENCES OF THE HOUSEHOLD, FUTURE MOVING INTENTIONS OF THE HOUSEHOLD, AND HOUSEHOLD ATTITUDES TOWARD FACTORS RELEVANT TO RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY AND HOUSING CHOICE. THE SURVEY INDICATES THAT IN RECENT INTRAMETROPOLITAN MOVES URBAN HOUSEHOLDS TEND TO SHIFT TOWARD OWNERSHIP, A SINGLE- FAMILY HOUSE, AND INCREASE IN NUMBER OF ROOMS, AND AN INCREASE IN HOUSING COST, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE VARIATION IN HOUSING PREFERENCES AMONG HOUSEHOLDS OF DIFFERENT SOCIO- ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS, AND WITH DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE.