Introduction from the Editor

Citation

Reed, R.G. (2014), "Introduction from the Editor", International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Vol. 7 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHMA-04-2014-0006

Introduction from the Editor

Article Type: Editorial From: International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, Volume 7, Issue 2

Welcome to the second issue in the seventh volume of the International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis (IJHMA). This issue includes eight papers which examine housing markets in six different countries with varying research questions and methodologies. The success and increasing demand for accessing papers in this journal is directly linked to both the high quality of research and the diverse nature of the papers.

The first paper examines the housing finance system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and argues that providing initial financial support enables the citizens to own a dwelling, resulting in social and economic stability. The data were collected via a field study, with the results confirming most of the respondents were dissatisfied with the housing finance system, as they did not have a mortgage loan or own a property. It was also observed there was a lack of financial support for the residents’ socio-economic needs. The second paper analysed the Jordanian housing sector and, in particular, the perceptions of both architects and contractors regarding factors that affect quality in the Jordanian housing sector. The methodology used 20 quality measures identified in the literature, and the survey respondents ranked each factor as well as other factors. The findings identified the primary factors of “human resource management”, “customer satisfaction”, “use of technology” and “supplier management”.

The third paper is from the USA and examines the “price effects of street surface traffic on residential property” based on recognising both positive and negative factors associated with vehicular traffic that affect property value. A case study of a city in Ohio, USA, was undertaken based on transaction data for 9,670 single family dwellings and 455 multifamily rental properties. The findings confirmed there are both advantages and disadvantages external to a residential property with a location adjacent to a busy surface street. The results vary according to factors including residents in either single family or multifamily dwellings. The fourth paper considers the structure of the housing market and the intensity of equity-induced up-trading between housing market segments to the equilibrium ratio between house prices and household income. The conclusions confirm that although price appreciations create equity gains for homeowners, when fed back into the housing market through up-trading, these gains will impact house prices and create short-term deviations in equilibrium indices for the housing market.

The fifth paper examines the Australian housing market with the emphasis placed on affordable housing and homelessness. The research examined the formation of relationships in cross-sector partnership and how they addressed the issue of affordable housing and homelessness. The methodology involved semi-structured interviews of three sectors involved in an innovative social housing model in Melbourne. The results confirmed there were several factors which contributed to the formation of this partnership, most notably the strong social imperative found within the social ethos of participating organisations. The sixth paper is centred on the growth of ecovillages and explores Cloughjordan Ecovillage (Ireland) from the perspective of a consensus-based decision-making approach. The objective was to determine if consensus actually works in an international community such as an ecovillage. The findings suggest that in spite of the impressive nature of the built infrastructure, the community continues to struggle with governance, decision-making, consensus and communication issues.

The seventh paper is from Korea and considers the practical implications of the unification of the real estate registration system. Consideration was given to the Japanese experience with the same issue, and this study showed that the legal and practical issues between the two countries cannot be overlooked. There would be benefits from the elimination of dual registration records; however, the unification process needs to consider legal and institutional factors. The final paper discusses the broader issues of a city with reference to decline, regeneration and constraint issues. The study examines a large number of influencing factors including floods, cheap land, affordable housing, property cycles and sustainability. The study investigates the city centre and the findings have implications for other global cities experiencing decline and seeking regeneration.

My primary goal as an editor is to attract, accept and publish quality research in the discipline of international housing markets. All papers in this journal have been through a rigorous double-blind refereeing process to ensure the highest quality is maintained. I encourage the submission of research articles examining international housing markets which contribute to our collective body of knowledge in this exciting area. If you have any comments or are interested in submitting a research paper, then please contact the editor directly at: mailto:richard.reed@deakin.edu.au

Richard G. Reed
Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia