Project Details
Abstract
More than 50% of Viennese residents live in social housing which contributes to a housing model based on government intervention and regulation. At the same time, the transitional wealth and international mobility have resulted in a more dynamic market in European cities which might affect the property market in Vienna. In order to find out the dynamics of home ownership in Vienna and the factors related with ownership a two-stage investigation were conducted. In the first phase, the socio-economic factors having an impact on ownership in Vienna were investigated with the help of Microcensus survey. At the second step, the data about housing biographies and migration history of 492 interviewees were collected by means of a questionnaire consisted of blocks about socio-economic status, housing condition and location, housing biographies, housing aspirations, preferences and immigration profile.
The study confirms the assumption that in contexts of migration homeownership correlates closely with variables such as citizenship and length of residence (acculturation), age (economic resources tend to be available at an older age) and marital status (singles have a lower preference for property compared to married people). It also shows that the higher the level of education (status variable), the more likely people are to buy a property. In a deeper analysis, habitus (having grown up in owned property) and the (positive) affective relationship with Vienna emerge as determinants for buying a property in Vienna. The unequal trajectories and dynamics of housing biographies evidence the importance of social structural backgrounds (such as social milieu), as well as the influence of migration and housing market-related experiential contexts.
The study confirms the assumption that in contexts of migration homeownership correlates closely with variables such as citizenship and length of residence (acculturation), age (economic resources tend to be available at an older age) and marital status (singles have a lower preference for property compared to married people). It also shows that the higher the level of education (status variable), the more likely people are to buy a property. In a deeper analysis, habitus (having grown up in owned property) and the (positive) affective relationship with Vienna emerge as determinants for buying a property in Vienna. The unequal trajectories and dynamics of housing biographies evidence the importance of social structural backgrounds (such as social milieu), as well as the influence of migration and housing market-related experiential contexts.
Key findings
The study confirms the assumption that in migration biographies, homeownership is correlated with variables such as acquired citizenship and length of stay (acculturation), age (economic resources tend to be more available at older ages), and marital status. Besides, it is shown that higher education-level (status variable) increases the likelihood of ownership.
In a deeper analysis of variables, in addition to family status, habitus (having grown up in owned property) and the (positive) affective relationship with Vienna emerge as determinants for buying a property in Vienna. This result is significant: it is not the length of stay that matters, but the sense of belonging on one side and on the other side, the habitus which determines the behavior and traits due to experiences from childhood and immigration, affect the orientation for buying a property. The analysis of case studies demonstrated that availability of economic resources and social capital should be considered as prerequisites for housing aspirations and ownership desires.
The unequal trajectories and dynamics of housing biographies evidence the importance of social structural backgrounds, as well as the influence of migration and housing market-related experiential contexts.
The frustration of immigrants resulted due to divergence between expectations and reality in host country is a common experience. The difficulty and length of time it takes to improve one's living situation once in Austria is seen by some interviewees as signs of structural and institutional deficits, such as those manifested in discriminatory mechanisms in the housing market. What is considered as a good living and housing situation depends remarkably on milieu-specific aspects if immigrant. For example, students typically have better accommodations at the time of immigration, reflecting the generally more affluent socio-economic status of their origin milieu. The situation and experience of individuals from labor migration, on the other hand, typically involve reporting on consolidation once stability is achieved, which can also be an indicator of migration success.
Respondents who own property generally not only have higher education, thus already belong to the middle classes in their countries of origin, but are also generally more satisfied with their housing. The fact that (migration) success is measured by property ownership is certainly an expression of norms, ideologies, and imprints; however, preferences for ownership also reflect the desire for both material and symbolic security of achievements, given the hardships and constraints that characterize migrant housing biographies.
In a deeper analysis of variables, in addition to family status, habitus (having grown up in owned property) and the (positive) affective relationship with Vienna emerge as determinants for buying a property in Vienna. This result is significant: it is not the length of stay that matters, but the sense of belonging on one side and on the other side, the habitus which determines the behavior and traits due to experiences from childhood and immigration, affect the orientation for buying a property. The analysis of case studies demonstrated that availability of economic resources and social capital should be considered as prerequisites for housing aspirations and ownership desires.
The unequal trajectories and dynamics of housing biographies evidence the importance of social structural backgrounds, as well as the influence of migration and housing market-related experiential contexts.
The frustration of immigrants resulted due to divergence between expectations and reality in host country is a common experience. The difficulty and length of time it takes to improve one's living situation once in Austria is seen by some interviewees as signs of structural and institutional deficits, such as those manifested in discriminatory mechanisms in the housing market. What is considered as a good living and housing situation depends remarkably on milieu-specific aspects if immigrant. For example, students typically have better accommodations at the time of immigration, reflecting the generally more affluent socio-economic status of their origin milieu. The situation and experience of individuals from labor migration, on the other hand, typically involve reporting on consolidation once stability is achieved, which can also be an indicator of migration success.
Respondents who own property generally not only have higher education, thus already belong to the middle classes in their countries of origin, but are also generally more satisfied with their housing. The fact that (migration) success is measured by property ownership is certainly an expression of norms, ideologies, and imprints; however, preferences for ownership also reflect the desire for both material and symbolic security of achievements, given the hardships and constraints that characterize migrant housing biographies.
| Short title | Housing trajectory |
|---|---|
| Status | Finished |
| Effective start/end date | 1/03/22 → 31/10/23 |
Keywords
- housing
- migration
- housing trajectories
- home ownership
- Vienna (Austria)