Local housing markets, structure and buyer behaviour: The east belfast case

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Abstract
This article provides a discussion of the characteristics of local housing markets with specific emphasis placed upon determining a sound operational basis for the definition of submarkets. Analysis is presented for the eastern sector of the city of Belfast highlighting the need for consistency within data if meaningful evaluation is to be achieved. The results indicate that physical house type is the best criterion for defining submarkets rather than market price, household type or social class category. Price bands lack the degree of homogeneity required whilst household type and social class category do not provide sufficient discrimination across a range of property, locational and environmental characteristics. Concerning the dynamics of market areas, a behavioural survey of purchases reveals most house moves to be short distance and prompted by factors which are non‐location specific though variability is apparent between different purchaser groups.

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