PERCEPTION TYPES OF HOME BUYERS BY Q METHODOLOGY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF HONG KONG, TAIWAN, AND THE USA

Abstract

It is commonly accepted that purchasing a home is one of the most important decisions that people can make in their lifetimes, and that perception types of home-buying decisions are critical constructs in housing market research. However, despite the large body of extant literature that has examined objective factors determining housing demand, few have analyzed home-purchase intention from a subjective perspective using a cross-sectional approach. To fill this research gap, this paper aims to distinguish and compare different perception types of home buying in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the USA by using Q methodology, which utilizes subjective views and perceptions to capture general responses to a phenomenon. After analyzing the 30 samples of home buyers selected from each of these three areas being surveyed, the research results demonstrate that most home buyers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the USA are aggressive investors, pragmatists and lifelong financial planners, respectively.