The literature on residential mobility pays little attention to the outcomes of residential relocation and their determinants. This study aims to address this shortfall by examining the link between home relocation and change in residential satisfaction based on data from a two-wave sample survey in Beijing, China. The data is collected through interviews with a sample of 537 participants who planned to move and eventually did move in Beijing. A multi-level structural equation model is developed to analyse the determinants of change in residential satisfaction after home relocation. The results show that people generally become more satisfied with their residence after relocation. The major determinants of residential satisfaction changes are adjustments in housing conditions (including housing tenure and dwelling space) and neighbourhood environment (including physical design, absence of nuisance, social interaction and accessibility to various facilities). The findings of this research not only enrich the literature on residential satisfaction and residential mobility, but may also help to improve urban planning and public housing policies.
Residential mobility and spatial sorting in Stockholm 1990-2014: the changing importance of housing tenure and income
