The Influence of Motivation Factors on Housing Choice of Migrants in Ho Chi Minh City

Abstract

This study aims to assess the impact of motivational factors on the housing choices of rural-to-urban migrants. The motivations leading to housing choices include migration reasons, life events, and satisfaction with housing. The author suggested a research model with three hypotheses and conducted a survey between migrant people living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to test these hypotheses. There are several notable findings in this study. Firstly, the first hypothesis was accepted as factors related to both economic and non-economic values have a positive impact on housing choices. This aligns well with the reality that the majority of individuals aged 25–45 consider this as their primary goal when migrating to the city and searching for housing. Secondly, changes in current life circumstances can lead to changes in housing choice intentions. Thirdly, a significant finding of the research is that most individuals with an intention to change their place of residence do so because they are dissatisfied with the housing conditions or prices. In this research, housing satisfaction is an even more significant factor influencing housing choice intentions than life events and economic and noneconomic values. This study has some limitations, as it is necessary to clarify other factors, because only motivation may be impossible to change housing choice intentions. It is suggested that a number of other factors, such as opportunities or migrants’ capabilities could also influence the moving intentions.