ABSTRACT
In those countries generally referred to as ‘post socialist’, home ownership entered policy agendas in the early 1990s, with housing reforms embodying a departure from socialism and the advancement of markets. The promotion of, and proliferation in, rates of home ownership were central to reform efforts and often also served at that time as a measure of transitional success. Meanwhile, in the last three decades in Western developed countries, home ownership has evolved into a frequently discussed phenomenon and is considered in terms of a more diverse array of issues. Debates on home ownership have reflected broader developments in social sciences, with a particular concern being integrative concepts, most notably ‘welfare regimes’ that link housing and families in terms of welfare capacities and conditions (Esping-Andersen 1990, 1999; Matznetter, 2002; Vogel, 2002; Allen et al., 2004; Berthoud and Iacovou, 2004; Ronald, 2007). This concept is significant because of its ability to combine housing and housing tenure with different issues, providing a basis for cross-national comparisons. These debates went along with the recent increase in the output of survey data, providing more cross-nationally comparative empirical information both on macro as well as micro levels.
