Study of housing adjustment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia in general and Riyadh City in particular experienced an increased demand for housing during the last twenty-five years because of population growth and economic development. To boost housing development, the Saudi government established several agencies, among which are the Real Estate Development Fund (REDF) to provide cash loans and The Ministry of Public Work and Housing (MPWH) to build ready-to-move-in houses. Shortly after the households moved into houses funded by either agency, they started to adjust their houses. This adjustment behavior suggests a low level of household satisfaction.;This study explores the differences in households housing adjustment behavior between the two housing types, with satisfaction being part of such a behavior. Using the Morris and Winter Model of housing adjustment as a theoretical framework, it was hypothesized that there was no difference in housing adjustment between the two housing types, no significant effect of the predictors (households' variables, housing construction variables, previous adjustment variables) in each housing type on housing characteristic variables and housing adjustment behavior variables, and no sequential effect among housing adjustment behavior variables.;Data were collected for both types of the houses in Riyadh with a sample size of 230. The analytical method consists of a quantitative survey analysis using multiple regression frameworks. Descriptive analysis focused on all variables in the model. A correlation coefficient revealed the bivariate associations between variables included in the models.;Significant differences were found between the two types of houses and certain predictors of housing characteristics and housing adjustment behavior in each housing type were identified. The study also found partial sequential effect among adjustment behavior variables, which are household deficit, satisfaction, propensity to adjust, and expected future improvement.;The study emphasizes the needs to have the households involved in the design and construction process. It also validates and extends Morris and Winter model. The findings benefit interior designers, architects, and housing policy makers by enlightening them about the phenomena of housing adjustments behavior and its variables, thus making a positive contribution to housing design and development in Saudi Arabia.