Abstract
Patterns, trends, and needs in the consumption of housing in a contemporary and changing society continues as a major concern of housing professionals. Housing consumption is a broad based area encompassing a diversity of issues influenced by a diversity of people in the housing market seeking to provide shelter and consumable services for themselves and their households. The consumption of housing is responsive to the availability, affordability, and appropriateness of the housing stock. The consumption of housing is the final outcome of expressed demands for housing in the private market controlled by supply and demand theory. Demand for housing is primarily responsive to levels and distributions of consumer incomes, price of housing, price of other goods and services, tastes and preferences of the consumer, demographic influences, and household composition.
Based on interrelatedness of influencing factors and current societal issues, this paper is organized into three frameworks for reviewing selected past research within the areas of: the housing stock and consumer demands; diversity and discrimination; and housing consumption decisions. The discussion of the three frameworks identify needs, current issues, and implications for future research. Finally, a research agenda is presented that includes a basic format for identifying future studies and important issues of housing consumption that were established on past research and projected trends.
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Gladys G. Shelton
Gladys G. Shelton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia, Athens.