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There are two ongoing trends that lead to changing preferences for the built environment. One concerns a demographic transition into more but smaller, and older, households. The other concerns greater possibilities to satisfy residential preferences due to rising incomes and technological advances. The current study explores the preference for the type of residential environment and the underlying motivations. The smaller municipality is most preferred (36%), followed by the city edge (32%), a rural area (13%), the city centre (11%) and no preference (7%). The city centre is preferred because of amenities, ambiance, liveliness and activities. The city edge is preferred because of peace and quiet and easy access to the dwelling. Social contact was rarely mentioned. In contrast, respondents who preferred a smaller municipality frequently mentioned social contact. Furthermore, feeling safe/secure and wellbeing were important items. Finally, respondents with a rural preference mentioned freedom and peace and quiet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe private rented sector (PRS) plays an increasingly important role in accommodating young people and migrants in China’s metropolitan cities. However, the PRS in China is still underdeveloped, as evidenced by, e.g. a low degree of professionalisation, lack of basic rental laws and regulations, and poor housing experiences of tenants. The purpose of the current article is to identify the main challenges towards a well-functioning PRS, as perceived by Chinese local governments, landlords, and tenants, and to propose possible solutions to cope with these challenges. After reviewing both academic and grey literature and exploring the results of our previous research, we found that these challenges result from three main root causes, i.e. power imbalance between landlords and tenants, inadequate institutional arrangements, and path dependence on the past productivism model. Based on the analysis, a number of recommendations were proposed, including formalising the PRS, introducing regulations, setting minimum housing standards, and increasing public school availability to enhance equal citizenship rights between renters and homeowners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of skyrocketing house prices and fierce competition for talents between cities, this study explores the housing pathways of young talents and their future migration plans in Shenzhen, China. Using the housing pathways approach and Bourdieu's theory of practice with three concepts, this study uncovers how structural factors and the often-overlooked agency factors together influence the formation of different housing pathways. Drawing on 18 semi-structured interviews with young talents, four different housing pathways were identified: staying at parents' home, private renting to owning, talented renting, and progressive private renting. We found that the interaction of habitus and different forms of capital shapes different housing pathways. In addition, young talents following different housing pathways have various future migration plans. This paper sheds new light on the use of the housing pathways approach and Bourdieu's theory of practice in providing a nuanced understanding of housing and migration behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After being neglected since the establishment of the housing market in the 1990s, China has recently shown great enthusiasm for developing the housing rental market. It is essential to understand why people choose private renting as it enables us to better identify the demands of tenants and develop policies accordingly to promote private renting. However, at the micro-level, the determinants for people's renting intention have rarely been studied in the Chinese context. This paper aims to examine what specific underlying beliefs, as well as background factors, influence people's private renting intention in China's metropolises. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), we designed questionnaires and collected personal data from 476 private renters living in Shenzhen. We found people had generally favorable attitudes, supportive subjective norms, and high perceived behavioral control of private renting in Shenzhen. Results from a path analysis suggest that people's renting intention was most influenced by their attitudes toward renting, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. In addition, marital status and some underlying behavioral, normative, and control beliefs were also found to have significant influences on renting intention. Based on our findings, some recommendations were proposed to promote private renting, such as advertising the advantages of renting to the public, enhancing the sense of belonging of renters, and expanding the rental housing supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various demographic, socio-economic and socio-cultural shifts have taken place in recent decades. These trends result in a change in the volume and quality of the housing demand as well as in the choice of location. Consequently, the traditional method, which implies asking relatively simple and straightforward questions about the willingness to move, residential preferences and the current housing situation, might no longer be adequate to explain and predict residential preference and choice. Therefore, a search is going on for new methods. The current paper explores the use of underlying value orientations. Respondents were divided into two groups according to whether they attached more importance to “Self-direction” or to “Security” as a guiding principle in housing. A number of differences were observed. Respondents who find Self-direction important more often live in the city centre and prefer an existing dwelling with an innovative design in a neighbourhood with various types of residents and a mix of residential and commercial land uses. Residents who attach more importance to Security more often live outside the city centre and prefer a newly built dwelling with a traditional design in a neighbourhood with mainly housing and the same type of residents. The results provide some indication that residents may indeed prefer particular dwelling or neighbourhood characteristics because they pursue values and goals that are important to them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Knowing which services are essential to tenants gives the housing associations the background to set priorities in maintenance policy and purchasing. The purpose of this paper is to explore residents' perceived importance of various maintenance services. Design/methodology/approach – The research question is explored through a large-scale survey of more than 6,000 tenants of Dutch housing associations. Priorities were studied in three different ways: respondents were asked to provide direct importance ratings, importance weights were derived from regression analyses, and, an importance-performance analysis (IPA) was performed. Findings – The results with regard to the priorities differ somewhat according to which method is used. However, the methods agree in that maintenance of heating and water systems and maintenance of hinges and locks of windows and external doors should get priority. If the goal is to increase customer satisfaction, the maintenance of exterior paintwork and bathrooms should also get appropriate attention. According to the IPA, the maintenance of ventilation systems should be taken good care of. Research limitations/implications – One limitation of the study is that residents have provided their preferences in maintenance service delivery without noticing the costs that are included with the several options. Furthermore, the priorities between service aspects, i.e. the aspects that determine the service quality of the maintenance service delivery were not measured. Practical implications – This paper provides insight into resident's priorities with regard to maintenance services. This can be of use for companies, such as housing associations. Furthermore, it contributes to scientific knowledge with regard to the impact of different measurement methods. Originality/value – Different applied methods for measuring priorities lead to different results. Both practitioners and researchers should take this into account when measuring priorities. The goal of the research should determine the choice of which method to use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, China has witnessed fierce competition for talents among cities. There is evidence that China's first-tier cities are losing their appeal for young talents due to the soaring housing prices and high living costs in first-tier cities, as well as the catch-up of next-tier cities. Therefore, uncovering what factors drive young talents to develop in first-tier cities is important for policymakers to maintain and enhance the attractiveness of first-tier cities. Most previous research on talent migration has focused on demographic and socioeconomic factors, while little research has examined the influence of psychological factors. By adopting the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this paper aims to explore what beliefs and background factors influence university students' intention to develop in first-tier cities after graduation. Using the data we collected from 1242 university students across China, we found that two-thirds of university students have the intention to develop in a first-tier city after graduation. The Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) results show that students' migration intentions were most influenced by their attitudes, followed by subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC). Specifically, beliefs such as realizing future dreams, better job opportunities, and higher wages shape students' positive attitudes towards developing in first-tier cities. The supports from family, friends, teachers, and classmates contribute to positive subjective norms of developing in first-tier cities. In contrast, perceptions of high housing prices, high living costs, and family ties discourage students from developing in first-tier cities. Furthermore, being male, being a non-only child, studying in first-tier cities, and attending higher-ranking universities have positive influences on migration intention through the mediating effects of the TPB constructs. Policy implications were discussed to help first-tier cities attract graduates. • The brain drain has become a serious deterrent to the sustainable development of Chinese first-tier cities. • 64% of surveyed university students have the intention to develop in a first-tier city after graduation. • Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control together explained 53% of the variance in students' intention to develop in a first-tier city. • Some behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs have significant indirect effect on intention through influencing attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control respectively. • Students who are male, non-only child, and who study in first-tier cities, and in a higher-ranked university have greater intention to develop in a first-tier city than their counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Chinese housing policies have been shifting from encouraging homeownership toward developing the private rented sector, especially in the superstar cities. Nevertheless, what are the target groups and characteristics of private rental housing in Chinese superstar cities, and whether the private rental housing is capable of meeting private tenants' housing needs remain unclear. This paper attempts to bridge this gap from the tenant perspective by examining the determinants of private tenants' residential satisfaction. We argue that residential satisfaction should be examined within different submarkets. By adopting the Structure of Housing Provision thesis, we identified three main sub-sectors in China's superstar cities, i.e. urban village housing, commercial rented housing, and Long-term Rented Apartment (LTRA). Based on a questionnaire survey in Shenzhen, we examined the characteristics of the three subsectors and tenants living in each sub-sector. Furthermore, we evaluated whether the residential satisfaction levels varied significantly in different sub-sectors and the determinants of residential satisfaction in each sub-sector. The results of an ANOVA showed that tenants living in commercial rented housing and LTRAs were more satisfied than those living in urban village housing. The regression results showed that the determinants of residential satisfaction vary considerably among different sub-sectors. The results of this paper can be useful not only for the landlords to improve tenants' residential satisfaction but also for policy-makers engaged in private rental market development and urban renewal. • The private rented sector can be categorized into different sub-sectors. • Residential satisfaction of private tenants should be examined within different sub-sectors. • Private tenants in Shenzhen are generally satisfied with their residential environment. • Tenants living in urban villages are less satisfied than those living in commercial housing and Long-term Rented Apartments. • Determinants of residential satisfaction vary in different sub-sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]