The Repercussions of Marriage Breakdowns on Housing Preferences: An Empirical Research Study in Spain

Abstract

Analysis of the relations between family events and the demand for housing has, to date, received very little attention from researchers, although there can be no douht that housing preferences vary with changing personal circumstances. The spectacular growth in the number of singleparent households throughout Europe highlights the timeliness and interest in studying the specific housing demands of this type of family. The aim of the present study is to contribute to empirical knowledge of the housing needs arising from a change in family circumstances to one of single parenthood. Therefore, we carried out a survey of 209 single-parent households in Spain, producing interesting findings on the housing demand by such families and on the factors determining this demand.