Location Preferences of Multifamily Housing Residents

Abstract

Choosing the location of one’s home is an important decision not only for homeowners but for renters as well. The purpose of this study was to identify demographic and lifestyle influences on location preferences of multifamily housing residents. Two research hypotheses were tested using a modified model of influences on housing choice: (a) there are relationships between demographic and lifestyle characteristics and preferences for an ideal apartment home location, and (b) there are relationships between the location preference and specific apartment home and community feature preferences. Mail surveys were conducted with residents of high-end multifamily housing communities in Charlotte, North Carolina, and data from 202 usable responses were analyzed. As a result, both research hypotheses were supported. Major findings were as follows: (a) some individual demographic and lifestyle characteristics or combinations of these were found to have influences on location preferences; (b) when lifestyle characteristics were combined with demographic characteristics, location preferences were best explained; and (c) location preference had significant relationships with preferences for some specific parking, security, and exercise features, and the relationships were consistent with common expectations of the locations. Apartment developers, owners, and managers have identified lifestyle factors as important to attracting residents. This research provided empirical validity to that practice.