The first years as independent actors in the housing market: Young households in a Swedish municipality

This study deals with young households at the beginning of their housing career. During the 1990s, a tendency of the young to leave the parental home at a later age than during previous decades was discussed. With extended education, rising housing costs and a shortage of rental housing, difficulties in finding an affordable place to live could be expected to have increased. Parental resources are of increasing importance in times of recession. The aim of this study was to follow the first steps in the housing careers of young individuals in a Swedish municipality and to investigate the time of nest-leaving and the choice of tenure for their first and second moves. Individuals aged 16–25 years in the municipality of Gävle, Sweden, were included in the study. Longitudinal data for the years 1985–1995 were used. To capture changes over time, the nest-leaving situations of two cohorts were compared. Results indicate that the individuals in the 1973 cohort leave home at a higher age than do those in the 1968 cohort. A surprisingly large share move into tenant co-operatives. Such moves, as well as moves into owner occupation, occurred mainly within Gävleborg County. Individuals moving to other municipalities outside the county moved to a larger extent into rental housing.