Households' Socio-economic Determinants of Residential Preferences in Government Housing Estates in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study examines households' socio-economic attributes which determine residential preferences and relocation in Government(Public) housing in Ado-Ekiti, South-West Nigeria. A survey of 450 households selected from three housing estates was done. The results showed that 66.6%, 64%, and 61.7% of the respondents in Olusegun Obasanjo, Bawa, and Federal Housing Estates, respectively, opted for their present residential estates because of the preference for; dwelling types, layout and quality of neighbourhood; and privacy and security level within the neighbourhoods. Using Multiple Regression Analysis, the adjusted R values for socio-economic variables showed that the age of respondents (0.8074); family income (0.463); and household size (0.329) are significant for Bawa, Olusegun Obasanjo and Federal Housing Estates, respectively. Confirming this linear relationship, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) Test F- values for Bawa, Olusegun Obasanjo and Federal Housing Estates are 13.980, 12.653, and 44.581, respectively (all significant at; p < 0.01). Consequently, age and income are significant determinants of residential preferences in Bawa and Olusegun Obasanjo Estates, while for Federal Housing Estates; age, family income and household size are determinants of residential preferences. The need to consider relevant parameters emanating from the end-users of residential developments in the planning, design and development of appropriate dwellings is highlighted.