Households’ Housing Preferences in the Period of External Shocks - Polish Case Study

Abstract In the study, we examine the stability of housing preferences, comparing past – revealed ones and future declarations. The dynamically changing environment after two very significant external shocks, the Covid-19 pandemic and the influx of immigrants after the Russian aggression in Ukraine, may change the factors important for households when making housing decisions. We focus primarily on ownership, location and property type patterns. In this article, we use association analysis to identify the most important patterns of change in meeting housing needs. The results of a questionnaire survey confirmed the important role of location in households’ preferences for purchasing apartments and the significant importance of budget constraints. Moreover, the rules related to moving further from the center and to single-family houses turned out to gain on importance.