MODELING IN NEW HOUSING CHOICE - AN APPLICATION

This paper develops a model, using multidimensional contingency table analysis, to begin to unravel some of the complexities of house buying . The model has important practical implications in helping builders, developers and planners educate house buyers and influence the choices which they make. Academic and practitioner research suggests that the 'hierarchy of effects' principle can be used to explain the way custo mers buy houses. The assumption is that 'primary' choice issues, like size, price and locality must be satisfied before 'secondary' ones, su ch as whether the property has double glazing, a fitted kitchen or a s ecurity system. This paper develops a model of housing choice based on a number of secondary choice issues, such as preferences for differen t property features, preferences for alternative property designs and how knowledgeable customers were about energy efficiency issues. The m odelling techniques applied include cluster analysis and multidimensio nal contingency table analysis. The work is the result of a UK researc h project investigating how energy efficient new housing can be market ed.