A study of factors affecting the choices of living arrangement of young people after their marriage

Abstract

Today’s young people have a variety options in the routes leading them moving out from parental home. However, many of young people nowadays in Hong Kong remain to stay in their parental home even after getting married as they found difficulties in pursing their desirable form of living arrangement in the booming housing market. The extent to which these trends are explained by the three factors, the young people’s demographic characteristics, their family relationship, and their financial resources and affordability such as monthly income, assets or saving. By conducting 100 questionnaires and interviewing 3 young married couples who aged within 25 to 34 in Hong Kong for understanding their housing preference and rational behind constraints their choices. In this paper, it tried to find out the trends in choosing the living arrangement patterns and housing preferences among those young married couples in Hong Kong. After that, it will explore how demographic characteristics which affect their choices of living arrangement, discussed the impact of different choices of living arrangement (staying at parental home, living with friends, or living separately with spouse) on their marriage, fertility plan and personal life. Findings from questionnaires and in-depth interviews reveal the decision on making choice of living arrangement is mainly constituted by the financial capacity of most of them. Furthermore, it will also explore other perspectives like demographic characteristic and relationship with family members rather than from economic factors. With high price in the booming housing market, these group of people might turn to more affordable form of living arrangement instead of owning or renting a house after getting married. Based on the points of views from all respondents, it might also make recommendation to the government in providing housing subsidies in meeting their housing preferences and aspirations.