Amalgahome

Everyone moves at some point in their lives. The reasons why people move are varied and of interest to companies involved in mortgages, real estate, rental housing and municipal planners. Over the past five or six years that the economy has taken a deep slide downwards mostly triggered by the sub-prime mortgage debacle in the US, moving reasons and patterns have changed dramatically from region to region and city to city. I have tried to give a general overview of the reasons people move taken from my own experience as a rental manager for 18 years and from surveys by governments and other organizations involved in housing.

The following is compiled and gleaned from several surveys and reports including:

US Government
US Statistics
Statistics Canada
BC Apartment Owners & Managers Association
Canadian Federation of Apartment Associations

Overall in North America, the average stay in any one residence is 5.5 years. Home owners tend to move less often, about every 8 years on average, whereas, renters move on average every 3.8 years. In larger metropolitan areas, renters tend to move on average every 3.2 years. The most common reason given for moving is ‘Work Related’, either changing jobs or transfer within the company or employer.

Among Home owners, the second most reason given is ‘Family Related’, either finding a larger house for a growing family or down sizing after the children have left the home or they divorce. Among renters, the second most reason given is ‘Rental Problems’ which include non-payment of rent or problems with other tenants. The third most reason given is ‘Family Related’. The forth being ‘Change of Rental Conditions’, change of ownership or owner no longer wants to rent the unit. Singles move twice as often than couples. Younger couples tend to move more often than older couples.

Owners of single detached houses move the least often while owners of city core condominiums have the highest incidence of changing residence among owners. Renters of private rental suites have either the longest rental stay on average, over 8 years, or conversely the shortest, under 4 months. The shortest average rental stay overall is by singles sharing, under 6 months.

Many surveys classify people as to age, trade or profession, marital status, own or rent and address.
Of all trades and professions, Nurses move the most, farmers move the least often. Of all classifications, students move the most and retirees move the least often. People in their twenties move furthest and most often.

Surveys:

“While new job opportunities have more residents relocating, more current home owners are also entering the rental market, which is a growing trend, the survey finds.”
Source: “Apartments.com National Survey Reveals Renter Moving Plans for 2011,”

-Primary Reason for Moving

“Most social scientists agree that there are a combination of economic and non-economic reasons for moving that vary depending on the time period and the age of the movers. Previous research shows that increases in age reduce the likelihood of moving (until retirement age) and that long-distance moves are most common among the highly educated. Generally, the distance of the move is related to whether the move is motivated by employment or housing reasons. Inter-regional moves are more likely to be job-related, while intra-urban moves are more likely to be housing related.” Source:  US Government survey: Why People Move 2000.

Total movers surveyed	41,642	100.0%
Family-related reasons Change in marital status To establish own household Other family reason	10,969 2,586 3,082 5,301	26.3% 6.2% 7.4% 12.7%
Work-related reasons New job/job transfer To look for work/lost job Closer to work/easier commute Retired Other job-related reason	6,725 4,052 540 1,462 181 488	16.2% 9.7% 1.3% 3.5% 0.4% 1.2%
Housing-related reasons Wanted to own home/not rent New/better house/apartment Better neighborhood/less crime Cheaper housing Other housing reason	21,471 4,776 7,685 1,846 2,303 4,862	51.6% 11.5% 18.5% 4.4% 5.5% 11.7%
Other reasons Attend/leave college Change of climate Health reasons Other reason	2,478 944 306 464 765	6.0% 2.3% 0.7% 1.1% 1.8%