Values, Aspirations and Goal Commitment Of Single-Family Housing Residents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was the identification of certain demographic characteristics of urban single-family housing residents to determine if relationships existed between them and the residents' perceived housing values, housing aspirations,and commitment to housing goals. The sample consisted of 112 owner-occupants of singlefamtiy detached houses residing in Greensboro, North Carolina, surveyed during the spring of 1977. Frequencies, factor analysis, and multiple regr-e-ssion analyses were utilized to analyze data obtained from self-administered mail questionnaires. Descriptive results of the study revealed that as a group the respondents were primarily older, married, with at least one child, .and with high educational, occupational, and income levels. Most of their homes were moderate to large in size, and valued at less than the median cost of a new house in the local area. The respondents highly ranked the values of comfort and convenience, location, and privacy. Economy and safety appeared to be their least important housing values. Hultiple regression analyses revealed statistically significant relationships for -t he values of economy and friends and neighbors. Sex of the respondent, family income, and housing mobility were important contributors to the value of economy, while sex and occupation were important to the value of friends and neighbors. However, none of the independent variables wer e involved to any great extent. On a ten-point continuum, the respondents perceived their present housing to be on a higher level than their previous home, and antici- \ pated their near-future housing to be at a still higher leVel. Multiple regression analysis of their future aspirations found a statistically significant relationship to exist between it and age of the respondent, but only to a small degree. When questioned as to their willingness to reallocate their financial resources toward achieving a housing goal, a majority of the families supported limiting resources allocated to utilities, a larg~r family, food purchases, and entertainment needs. Factor analysis of the resource commitment statements identified five factor groupings: basic living and personal expenses, medical expenses, contributions and health protection expenses, educational expenses, and consumer purchase and communication expenses. As a result of multiple regression analyses, only one of the five resource commitment factor groupings, educational expenses, yielded a statistically significant relationship with age of the respondent as the primary contributor. The major conclusion of this study was that traditional demographic variables appeared to exert little influence on the housingrelated decisions of this respondent group. Other variables--economic, personal, sociological or situational--not considered in this ,study may play a far greater role in the process of choosing one housing type over another and merit investigation.