For most people the notion of home is determined by how they perceive the place. In many situations the home is simply an investment for financial gain or use to ensure a child's academic success -- hence the potential economic growth or quality of the school system in a neighborhood is of greatest concern.
Some people might view their home as a safe haven or a place for relaxation. For them issues of noise and crime may be of most concern. Others may seek a home where they can host social gatherings. These people will likely be looking for open floor plans along with a location that can be easily found by other people. Because we use our homes for so many different purposes, it behooves us and our realtors to know as much as possible about how we view and come to conceptualize our home.
To begin, we need to view potential properties for purchase in one of two ways: One segment of the population will view the property in relation to past or idealized homes. Of course this method can be highly subjective and frustrating for both the realtor and the prospective buyer. However another segment will view a property for its ability to serve a particular function. For these people, a home is considered for its location, specific rooms and amenities. The physical components and expectations of a home can vary from culture to culture, but the idea of home is fairly consistent, an emotional attachment to a place that offers safety and security.
Another notion of home is whether it is intended to be temporary or permanent. For children and adolescents, the family homestead is often viewed as permanent. However, when they move out and on their own many will find themselves in an urban environment in which they will rent their home.
Most people who rent regard their home as being temporary because approximately 85 percent of residents of all ages desire to own their home at some point. In the past, it wasn't uncommon for a young family to leave what was deemed a temporary home in an urban environment for a permanent one in the suburbs. These people tended to retain their permanent homes throughout their lives.
In today's real estate market however, we are seeing trends in which the intended permanent home is becoming temporary as more and more people are being forced to relocate for their careers. There is another group who believe that they will never own their home and have come to view their rented space as being permanent.
The notion of home from both the physical and psychological perspective can have many meanings, but how satisfied one is with one's home will determine the level of attachment to it. Satisfaction depends upon three factors related to a person's:
- personal characteristics (e.g., demographics, personality, values, expectations, comparisons and aspirations);
- social influences relating to independence, security, privacy and neighbors;
- physical factors, which include the psychological attributes of the physical residence (Kopec, DAK 2006).
In many situations residential satisfaction tends to increase when people perceive their neighbors as sharing similar beliefs and values. For example, a prospective buyer with a strong religious orientation will desire a location near to a place of worship. They may also deduce that, because a particular neighborhood is close to a religious center, the other people in that community share a religious affiliation. So, when our housing and neighborhood expectations are in sync with our assumptions and values, we are more likely to be satisfied with the home. However if there is a discrepancy, such as no-one in the neighborhood showing any interest in the local religious center, satisfaction (after the purchase) may decline.
Another variable affecting our notion of home is the likelihood of meeting our expectations for a new home. In other words, personal factors along with the home's attributes, and economic factors can predict residential preferences. For example, a person who desires waterfront property but can only afford a place inland, or a preference toward an urban penthouse, but being forced to settle for a suburban mansion. In both of these examples, because they have had to settle for less than their ideal, they will probably find fault and remain unsatisfied. Ergo, residential satisfaction is influenced by the difference between preference and actual selection.
As we can see, the notion of home is a convoluted idea that is wrapped in subjective and objective information coming together to provide an opinion. This opinion often reflects one's level of satisfaction and commitment to the home.
It used to be that people would move from temporary to permanent homes and make their homes their castles. In today's world very few things are permanent, and the different possibilities and choices available cause us to question what we have. Perhaps in future we will regard home in much the same way as our distant ancestors, a geographical expanse rather than a single building.
