Shaping the future of housing: Empirical evidence of megatrends driving private households’ demand

Abstract

The German housing sector is in the midst of structural change that requires a reorganisation of the players in the housing sector and their business models. Additionally, the way private households live is also changing. Residential properties need to adapt in order to meet this change. A large proportion of the German housing stock no longer aligns with the future requirements of its residents. So far, there is still uncertainty among the players in the housing sector about the necessary adjustments to residential properties. This study aims to close this gap. To this end, the main results of five sub-projects of a comprehensive research programme on housing transformation in Germany are presented. The results of a quantitative survey of 1,000 private households are reported and discussed. The results represent one of the first comprehensive analyses of the expected changes in housing requirements from the perspective of private households. The findings highlight the growing importance of sustainability in the construction process and emphasise the significance of digital technologies for maintaining the value of residential properties. It has also been shown that private households increasingly value flexibility at home and that the relevance of shared living concepts is rising. A clear trend can also be recognised: more households are moving to suburban locations with affordable housing and a lively environment. For project developers and political decision makers, the results thus provide a foundation for making well-founded decisions and realising the housing transformation. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.