Three decades of house purchase decisions: a scoping review and thematic classification

Purpose This study aims to develop a database of existing academic information in house purchase decision (HPD) using systematic literature review (SLR), to facilitate worldwide advancement of research under HPD domain. Design/methodology/approach This research examined papers from two reputable databases – Scopus and Google Scholar – from 1992 to 2022 using a scoping review technique (Arksey and O’Malley, 2005) and a theme analysis method. Out of 374, 181 articles fit the inclusion parameters and were evaluated using the theme analysis approach. Findings Data from 181 articles was evaluated thematically to create a thematic map of HPD research. Five main themes and their sub-themes were identified: consumer behaviour, housing attributes, factors influencing purchasing decisions, investment analysis and demographics, which proved essential in understanding HPD and customer preferences for house purchase. Practical implications Data from 181 articles were evaluated thematically to create a thematic map of HPD research. This SLR intends to provide useful new insights on consumer concerns about home purchases in the rapidly developing residential real estate market and the issues that marketers, housing sector stakeholders, real estate industry and existing and future researchers should prioritize. Originality/value This research is unique such that it is the only 30-year-long SLR on the subject matter of HPD. This paper makes a significant contribution to residential real estate domain signifying the present state of research in HPD.