Housing market dynamics in the Greek islands

Paper-1: This study examines how the presence and distance from a public hospital and an airport affect the housing market (first and holiday housing) in the islands of Greece. The paper analyses the behaviour of the buyers/owners and the significance of the medical care as well as the need for fast transportation. It takes into consideration the transportation means, the time of transfer to the closest hospital and airport, the demographic characteristics of the population (i.e. the age, foreigners), the retirement migration and their criteria when buying a house. It compares the preferences of current and potential homeowners for specific islands over more isolated and less developed islands in terms of medical care and transportation. The research method will use questionnaire surveys, interviews and secondary data sources. Paper-2: How can the changing flows of capital into the real estate market along with the growth of tourism alter patterns in consumption of residential space and encourage gentrification in the Greek islands? The paper views gentrification as an expression of consumer demands, individual preferences and market laws of supply and demand. It is centred around the influence of the tourism growth in the islands over the housing consumption of the local community. It examines the changes in consumption and the increasing dominance of large firms manifesting through the development of a tourism industry. Paper-3: This study examines the second home market in the islands of Greece. By taking into consideration the recent financial crisis and subsequent impact on socio-economic structure in the country, it examines the housing demand, supply and prices of the holiday houses in several islands and attempts to forecast the course of the market. Retirement migration, investorsí drivers and policies for development are issues under examination, along with an effort to compare and contrast Greece with Spain. The research method will make use of questionnaire surveys, interviews and secondary data sources.