Housing market analysis has witnessed considerable changes in recent decades, especially as a result of the complexity of human settlements and the dynamics of property market analytical techniques. This paper reviews various techniques/methods adopted by researchers and housing experts in analysing the housing market in recent times. The present study is a literature review and, therefore, essentially relies on published data sourced from academic journals, conference papers, thesis, and other secondary sources. The paper highlights the methods considered appropriate and relevant for different property market scenarios, especially in developing countries. The paper, therefore, recommends what it regards as the most appropriate basis for a housing market analysis and research in developing countries against the backdrop of the dynamics of the property market.

No abstract

Urban densification has attracted much attention in recent times, particularly in addressing certain urban problems such as urban sprawl and promoting compact development, though problems of unplanned densification are yet to be addressed in the literature. This paper examines space and time dynamics of urban densification, where patterns and changes in the residential densification of Bida urban area in Nigeria are assessed. The study relied on point features representing buildings for the years 2008, 2013, and 2018 digitized using ArcGIS 10.6. The data were analysed using Point Density spatial method to develop the spatiotemporal models which were further reclassified into three categories: low, medium, and high densities, respectively. The paper has found out that residential densities increase along the urban-rural gradient with clear evidence for unplanned urban densification as a result of the organic growth. Therefore, there is the need for planned densification in urban development which can curb the increasing residential density that reduces green and open spaces.

The housing market over the years has been impacted by various factors in different ways. This review paper examines the growing literature on the impact of COVID-19 on the housing market to ascertain its positive and negative effects. Thus, a total of 40 published conference papers, thesis, academic journal articles, and others obtained from secondary sources were reviewed and revealed that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in some scenarios had positive and negative impacts on the housing market. The paper found that the positive impacts include a rise in housing prices, increase in housing supply and reduction in mass evictions in some locations, while the negative impacts are on housing prices, demand and supply, constraints in mortgage return maintenance and delay in the construction of new housing apartments. The paper, therefore, concludes that both positive and negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are felt on the housing market globally. These thereby form a basis for further studies on the growing impacts of the pandemic concerning the housing market.