Housing market supply: selected aspects of the Palmerston North owner-occupied housing market

Abstract

The following study deals with the supply of housing in Palmerston North since 1950. Only houses owned by their occupiers are considered; dwellings on other form of tenure are only mentioned in passing. This chapter explains the main concerns of the study and introduces a number of concepts relating to the interaction of households, dwellings and external market forces. The characteristics of the City's housing stock are discussed in Chapter 2, and this is followed by a more detailed analysis of the relationship between a number of housing variables in Chapter 3. As well as describing the structure of the stock, Chapter 3 provides some guidelines for selecting housing characteristics for the grouping of dwellings in the analysis of sales, Chapter 4. A sample survey of dwellings in Chapter 5 provides data for further consideration of housing supply in the city. The same sample is also used in Chapter 6 where regularities in the length of time dwellings remain off the market are examined. A study of the organisation and operation of local Real Estate Agencies considers the influence this institution has on the housing supply. The argument is restated with the conclusions in Chapter 8. The organisation of the material is presented diagramatically in Figure 1.1