An owner-occupied house at the city centre by the lake

1. �An owner-occupied house at the city centre by the lake�� The ideals and the reality of Finnish housing

2. It is commonly believed that Finns prefer single-family housing for multi-family housing Homeownership for renting Natural surroundings for urban ones

3. Housing preferences (young people) there is more systematic information about Finns' housing preferences than before a survey of young people (2005): the majority of 18-29 year olds regarded renting a temporary phase homeownership in detached housing as the ideal form of housing

4. �I could very well think of renting as a permanent solution for myself� 16 per cent of respondents agreed: most often the youngest (18 year olds), those living with their parents and single tenants of all tenants 18 per cent agreed, of homeowners hardly none

5. �It always pays off to acquire an owner-occupied dwelling� 60 % of respondents agreed, 18 % against the support for the statement increased with age and income of those earning >2000 euros and >24 years more than 70 % agreed 77 % of young families with children agreed

6. Housing tenure preferences (whole population over 25 years of age) A survey of Finnish households (n=3455) in 2005 86 per cent of all households regarded an owner-occupied dwelling as their "target dwelling" (10 per cent preferred a rented dwelling) the preference for owner-occupation lowest (72 per cent) among the oldest (over 65)

7. House type preferences (whole population over 25 years of age) 56 per cent preferred detached houses as their target dwelling, 17 per cent semi-detached or terraced houses and 19 per cent flats in blocks of flats while tenure preferences correlated strongly with income (the higher the income, the more preferable was home-ownership), house type preferences did not

8. Why home-ownership? Why renting? Owner-occupation: good investment, it is cheaper to own, rents are too high, more choice, more security, suitable for one's life situation Renting: suitable for one's life situation (49 per cent), no money to buy, not willing to use one's money for paying a mortgage (10 per cent) Similar findings in the survey as in a qualitative interview study in Turku

9. Meaning of housing? OSIS qualitative interview study in Turku housing is associated with feeling of security and being oneself in one�s own territory not much difference between homeowners and tenants

10. Homeowner, female, 56: "It [housing] is a kind of wall of support and security against that world outside. And then it is privacy of one�s own. I mean, in a way you never know what�s happening inside the walls of your neighbour, you see only what�s happening outside. But anyway this is something that�s my own; nobody is coming in unless I am letting him/her in."

11. Some tenure-specific differences: Homeowners (especially those in detached housing) associate housing with being independent and free of external control ?various activities in a house of one�s own and a garden around it tenants' freedom from debt load and responsibility of maintenance

12. The detached house as the ideal home�