This report examines the Yorkshire and Humber ‘housing market’. It identifies and describes rising housing markets. A conceptual framework for understanding where residents choose to live is presented, providing the basis for analysing the case studies of residential mobility.

Distinctive mobility groups within the case studies are identified, and the importance of aspirations in driving households’ residential location decisions highlighted.

The authors note that in many parts of the region the conceptual framework has less relevance, as investment-led demand also contributes to housing market change. A case study of investment-led demand in an area of Leeds highlights this. The report also explores why investors are choosing to invest in housing and how investment takes place.

The research project was undertaken to provide information on the workings of housing markets, focusing on the housing demand aspects, and studying the attitudes, aspirations and wants of the households in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

The study attempts to complement and build on existing economic literature on housing markets and presents a different emphasis to understanding housing markets and demand.

Information on the overall characteristics of the regional housing market and the drivers of change was derived from interviews with stakeholder organisations. The rising markets in the region were identified from Land Registry data, and the characteristics of the rising housing markets from data from the 2001 Census. Cluster analysis was used to generate typologies of rising housing markets.

Case studies of rising markets in four different contexts were undertaken:

The report finds evidence showing that households’ housing decisions are not solely driven by economic and need factors, but also by lifestyles and aspirational factors.

In Pannal, Howden and, to a lesser extent, Burngrave aspirations are important factors in driving households’ residential location decisions. While in Beeston Hill it appears that investment demand has been driving the local housing market.

The main learning points are:

Joseph Rowntree Foundation
The Homestead, 40 Water End
YO30 6WP York, North Yorkshire
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 1904 629241
info@jrf.org.uk

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01/01/2007

Paul Hickman, David Robinson, Rionach Casey, Stephen Green and Ryan Powell, Sheffield Hallam University

research

Urban Policy > Housing > Housing policy

Housing market