Condominiums and Returned Migrant Workers in Agricultural Areas of Henan Province, China

ABSTRACT Condominium purchases are a major financial expenditure for returned migrant workers, and condominium location selection is the most important spatial process of farmers' residential behavior. Based on first‐hand field survey data, this study focuses on the locations of condominiums purchased by returned migrant workers and the factors affecting their location selection using statistical analysis and multilevel, multivalue logistic regression analysis. The study shows that, first, the condominiums purchased by returned migrant workers are mainly in county towns, followed by market towns and regional central cities. Second, the distance thresholds of purchased condominiums are distributed hierarchically, the thresholds of market towns, county towns and central cities are 5, 30, and 60 km, respectively, and most condominiums purchased at the same level are concentrated at these distances. Third, the main factors affecting condominium location selection are personal factors, such as marriage, educational background, working years and gender; family factors, such as economic status, household size, and labor force; and community factors, such as return ratio, terrain, and urban distance. In the equilibrium determined by capital and distance, prospective purchasers make a bounded rational choice of condominium location. The study results provide implications for China's local urbanization and real estate sales and planning.