Linking residential relocation desires and behaviour with life domain satisfaction

Beata Nowok,Allan Findlay,David Mccollum

doi:10.1177/0042098016665972

Beata Nowok, Allan Findlay + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098016665972

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Abstract

Life satisfaction and motives for moving home are complex entanglements, reflecting multiple desires and experiences. The aim of this paper is to show that a focused analysis of satisfaction with particular life domains can prove that changing a place of residence is not only a life stressor, but also a positive means leading to enduring improvements in individual satisfaction. Using the British Household Panel Survey we examine overall life satisfaction and satisfaction in various life domains such as housing, job, social life, household income, spouse/partner and health, both prior to and after moving. A temporal pattern of movers’ satisfaction for a number of years before and after the move is derived employing a fixed-effects panel data model. Our results reveal that residential relocation increases housing satisfaction considerably. The positive effect of moving on housing satisfaction is much stronger and endures longer for those with a sustained desire to relocate ahead of movement. Despite some decrease over time, five years after moving survey respondents still had significantly higher housing satisfaction than before their move. Changes in satisfaction with other life domains are much less pronounced and no lasting improvements in satisfaction are observed for them.

Highlights

Each year in the period 1996–2008 roughly one-third of United Kingdom (UK) adults expressed a desire to move home, according to the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS)
This paper reveals strong quantitative evidence that residential relocation can produce enduring improvements in housing satisfaction, an outcome that is not replicated for most other life domains
The potential of longitudinal data has meant a methodological shift in favour of approaches that control for unobservable heterogeneity across individuals (Boyce, 2010)

Summary

Introduction

Each year in the period 1996–2008 roughly one-third of United Kingdom (UK) adults expressed a desire to move home, according to the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). A surprising revelation is that less than one-fifth of those who wish to relocate fulfil their desire (Coulter, 2013). At the same time many individuals who change their place of residence have no prior preference to do so. People who wanted to move constitute only 60% of all movers. The vast majority of these moves are residential relocations within the urban environment. In this study we consider, all changes of usual residence (address) and hereafter we will refer to them as ‘(residential) relocations’, ‘moves’ or ‘migrations’. A person who relocates will hereafter be called a ‘mover’

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