Determining Factors in the Choice of Apartments in Portugal: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Buying housing is often the biggest transaction in the families’ lives. Therefore, this is an important reason to know and to study the determining factors of that purchase. This chapter aims to analyze which factors contribute to the choice of apartments in Portugal the most. To carry out this study, a quantitative methodology based on a questionnaire survey which analyzes both the determining factors in the choice of apartments and the sociodemographic profile was used. The sample is composed of 646 individuals who were looking for an apartment in different regions of mainland Portugal. The results show that the determining factors scale in the choice of apartments presents largely adequate levels of validity and reliability, being composed of four factors: negative externalities, positive externalities, businesses located on the ground floor, and rational interest in proximity to public services. The results also identify that the positive externalities contribute significantly to the apartment’s choice. In Portugal, there is no study with this depth about this subject. The validation of an assessment scale of determining factors in the choice of apartments in the Portuguese real estate market is ground-breaking. This study is expected to contribute to the expansion of scientific knowledge in this theme and to help real estate developers meet their customers’ preferences.