Housing Choice in an Affluent Shanghai – Decision Process of Middle Class Shanghai Residents

Abstract

While most papers on housing choice concentrate on relatively disadvantaged groups in the society con-strained by financial ability, this paper looks at the affluent population in Shanghai. In examining their own perception of the relative importance of difference factors affecting such choice by way of an Analytical Hi-erarchy Process, we are able to understand that currently, most affluent households still regard proximity to the city centre as an important factor when making housing choice. More importantly, there seems to be a marked difference in the ranking of these factors between the upper middle class and the average middle class in this city. Our analysis shows that the upper middle class households place more importance on the transportation network and neighbourhood infrastructure, while the average middle class have more concern on the housing attributes.