Skip to content

Phasic Metropolitan Settlers: A Phase-Based Model for the Distribution of Households in US Metropolitan Regions

Estiri, Hossein; Krause, Andy; Heris, Mehdi P. (2015). Phasic Metropolitan Settlers: A Phase-Based Model for the Distribution of Households in US Metropolitan Regions. Urban Geography, 36(5), 777 – 794.

View Publication

Abstract

In this article, we develop a model for explaining spatial patterns in the distribution of households across metropolitan regions in the United States. First, we use housing consumption and residential mobility theories to construct a hypothetical probability distribution function for the consumption of housing services across three phases of household life span. We then hypothesize a second probability distribution function for the offering of housing services based on the distance from city center(s) at the metropolitan scale. Intersecting the two hypothetical probability functions, we develop a phase-based model for the distribution of households in US metropolitan regions. We argue that phase one households (young adults) are more likely to reside in central city locations, whereas phase two and three households are more likely to select suburban locations, due to their respective housing consumption behaviors. We provide empirical validation of our theoretical model with the data from the 2010 US Census for 35 large metropolitan regions.

Keywords

Residential-mobility; Life-course; Housing Consumption; Family; Satisfaction; Migration; Geography; Context; Age; Distribution Patterns; Us Metropolitan Regions; Household

The Influence of Urban Design Packages on Home Values

Bitter, Christopher; Krause, Andy. (2017). The Influence of Urban Design Packages on Home Values. International Journal Of Housing Markets And Analysis, 10(2), 184 – 203.

View Publication

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of neighborhood design templates on residential home values in King County, WA, USA. Previous research examines a number of individual design factors; this study combines these factors into typologies and tests for the impacts of the composite set of design features. Design/methodology/approach The study analyzes over 27,000 home sales with a hedonic price model to measure the impacts across three large, regional submarkets. Neighborhood design categories are developed using a cluster analysis on a set of individual neighborhood attributes. Findings The key finding from this research is that the impact of more traditional (“urban”) design packages on home values is highly contextual. For the older and denser neighborhoods in the study area, a more traditional design results in a significantly positive impact on home values. In the new and more suburban regions of the study area, this effect is not found. Originality/value Prior work focused on valuing design attributes individually. The study argues that neighborhood design is better conceived of as a “package”, as the value of a given design element may depend on other co-located attributes. This is the first study, to the authors’ knowledge, to treat physical neighborhood design variables as a composite whole and to attempt to value their impact on home values as such.

Keywords

Regional Development; Packages; Cluster Analysis; Suburban Areas; Residential Areas; Housing; Design; Connectivity; Property Values; Urban Planning; Emission Standards; Neighborhoods; Urban Areas; Influence; Household Utilities; Design Factors; Regional Analysis; Housing Prices; Land Use; Tax Assessments; Urbanism