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Buildings
Special Issues
Real Estate, Housing, and Urban Governance—2nd Edition
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Real Estate, Housing, and Urban Governance—2nd Edition

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 1716

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jie Chen

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Guest Editor
School of International and Public Affairs, China Institute for Urban Governance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Interests: housing policy; housing market; urban development; urban governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zisheng Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Real Estate and Construction Management, School of Architecture and the Built Environment, KTH Royal Institute and Technology, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden
Interests: housing economics; urban economics; residential mobility; urban governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Business, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Interests: migration; urbanization; housing; urban governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of the real estate industry is a central element of urban development and is intricately connected to local and regional economies, and designing policies that address housing affordability challenges and improve housing conditions has increasingly become a crucial issue in urban governance globally. In the post-pandemic era, countries worldwide are grappling with increasingly complex and diverse challenges in achieving urban sustainable development. These challenges encompass a wide range of issues, including the dynamics of housing supply and demand, urban–rural integration governance, residential mobility, property management, and community governance.

Amidst the rapid advancement of digitalization and the utilization of AI technologies, the housing market and urban governance demand in-depth reflection and discussion to formulate constructive policies for urban planning and development. Furthermore, with the rising aging population on and declining fertility rates, the housing market is undergoing a transformation unlike any seen in the past. Therefore, the promotion of sustainable urban governance has become crucial for governments worldwide, necessitating the optimization existing governance structures and enhancing innovation in housing market mechanisms and building management.

To address these concerns, this Special Issue on "Real Estate, Housing, and Urban Governance—2nd Edition" invites high-quality, cutting-edge articles and welcomes research areas that include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Housing policy;
  • Housing quality;
  • Migration and social integration.

Prof. Dr. Jie Chen
Dr. Zisheng Song
Dr. Wei Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • real estate
  • housing
  • urban development
  • urban governance
  • urban environmental sustainability
  • migration, mobility and urbanization
  • urban–rural integration
  • big data, AI, and smart cities
  • building technology and building management
  • urban resilience

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 4345 KB  
Article
Differentiated Urban Effects Around a Large-Scale Entertainment Arena: Evidence from the O2 and Greenwich Peninsula, London
by Young Jae Kim and Hyunnam Sim
Buildings 2026, 16(9), 1805; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16091805 - 1 May 2026
Viewed by 233
Abstract
Large-scale entertainment venues are often positioned as anchors of mixed-use redevelopment, yet their surrounding effects may not unfold uniformly across indicators. This study examines differentiated urban effects around The O2 and Greenwich Peninsula in London by comparing treatment and control Middle Layer [...] Read more.
Large-scale entertainment venues are often positioned as anchors of mixed-use redevelopment, yet their surrounding effects may not unfold uniformly across indicators. This study examines differentiated urban effects around The O2 and Greenwich Peninsula in London by comparing treatment and control Middle Layer Super Output Areas (MSOAs) within the Borough of Greenwich. Using Office for National Statistics housing data for 1995–2025 and NOMIS business-count data for 2016–2024, the analysis combines descriptive comparison, pre-2007 comparability assessment, static difference-in-differences, annual event-study estimation, and total and sector-level business analysis. The housing results show a persistent locational premium in the treatment areas. Static DID estimates were not statistically significant, but annual event-study estimates suggest relative strengthening in selected post-opening years. The business results show a substantially larger business base in the treatment areas but only a limited aggregate relative growth advantage. Sectoral patterns are uneven: retail and arts-related activities perform more strongly, accommodation and food services show a modest advantage, and office-oriented services show little relative difference. Overall, the findings indicate differentiated urban effects rather than uniform neighborhood transformation and suggest that venue-centered redevelopment should be evaluated through multiple indicators and with attention to sectoral composition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Real Estate, Housing, and Urban Governance—2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 10968 KB  
Article
Lifestyle Migration Impact on Housing Development in Coastal Areas of Northern Cyprus
by Gözde Pırlanta and Asu Tozan
Buildings 2026, 16(4), 865; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16040865 - 21 Feb 2026
Viewed by 456
Abstract
This study examines the impact of lifestyle migration on housing development in the coastal regions of Northern Cyprus through a comparative analysis of Girne (Kyrenia) and Iskele (Trikomo). A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a literature review with semi-structured interviews with real estate [...] Read more.
This study examines the impact of lifestyle migration on housing development in the coastal regions of Northern Cyprus through a comparative analysis of Girne (Kyrenia) and Iskele (Trikomo). A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a literature review with semi-structured interviews with real estate and construction stakeholders and structured surveys to analyse housing production patterns, user preferences, and spatial outcomes. The findings indicate that although both regions have experienced rapid housing growth driven by lifestyle-oriented demand, their development trajectories differ markedly. In Girne, housing production has evolved gradually, resulting in a fragmented and heterogeneous settlement structure shaped by mountainous topography and incremental planning practices. In contrast, Iskele has undergone rapid and large-scale development characterized by high-rise, high-density, and more homogeneous residential projects that are facilitated by flat terrain and investment-led growth. The results demonstrate that coastal housing transformation cannot be explained by lifestyle migration alone but emerges from the interaction between migration demand, planning regimes, and market dynamics. By providing a comparative and spatially grounded analysis within an island context characterized by limited planning control, this study offers empirical insights that contribute to debates on residential tourism, second homes, and sustainable coastal planning in Mediterranean regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Real Estate, Housing, and Urban Governance—2nd Edition)
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20 pages, 19656 KB  
Article
Dynamics of First Home Selection for New Families in Riyadh: Analyzing Behavioral Trade-Offs and Spatial Fit
by Sameeh Alarabi
Buildings 2026, 16(3), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16030570 - 29 Jan 2026
Viewed by 653
Abstract
This study investigates the challenge of affordable housing in Riyadh, a city undergoing rapid transformation aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. It aims to bridge the structural gap in the housing market by developing a comprehensive analytical framework that measures housing suitability for [...] Read more.
This study investigates the challenge of affordable housing in Riyadh, a city undergoing rapid transformation aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. It aims to bridge the structural gap in the housing market by developing a comprehensive analytical framework that measures housing suitability for emerging middle-income families, linking it to economic, spatial, and behavioral dimensions. The research employs a sequential mixed-methods design. The first phase involved a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) of 106 residential neighborhoods, constructing a Housing Suitability Index (HSI) based on financing cost (≤SAR 880,000), quality of urban life, and geographical accessibility. The second phase utilized focus groups with 16 participants from real estate developers and new families to explore behavioral drivers and subjective trade-offs. Quantitative results identified “convenience clusters” primarily in the city’s southeastern and southwestern sectors, offering an optimal balance between price and accessibility. Qualitative analysis revealed a significant trust gap and a misalignment of priorities: new families are increasingly willing to sacrifice unit size for central location and construction quality, a preference that conflicts with developers’ strategies focused on luxury units or peripheral projects for higher margins. The study concludes that achieving the 70% homeownership target requires a hybrid policy model, combining supply-side stimuli (e.g., subsidized land) with demand-side management (e.g., progressive mortgages). It recommends integrating the HSI into urban planning to direct investment towards logistically connected areas, fostering sustainable communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Real Estate, Housing, and Urban Governance—2nd Edition)
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