The Mediating Effect of Housing Search on the relationship between Demographics and Residential Housing Decisions amongst Apartment Households

Abstract

The study sought to investigate the mediating effect of housing search on the relationship between apartment household demographics and four residential owner-occupied housing decisions. Using two-stage cluster sampling, a sample of 196 respondents (owner-occupied households) was studied in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study found that housing search has a mediating effect on the relationship between household demographics and choice of neighbourhood, choice of location of house, source of financing and size of apartment house though the mediation was found to be not statistically significant in each of the four relationships. Consequently, formal housing search behaviour was found not to be a popular mode of alleviating information challenges in the housing market since the study recorded very low levels of housing search in support and in contradiction of empirical evidence from housing markets in the West. The study cites implications to policy and practice, limitations associated with the study and makes suggestions for further study.