In Nigeria, housing units are not adequate for the entire population, especially in cities (Anosike et al. 2011, Makinde 2014). For instance, the deficit grows at an alarming rate, from about 8 million in 1991 to over 16 million in 2000s (Aribigbola, 2000; Aribigbola and Ayeniyo 2012). The challenges of housing provision are not only quantitative but also qualitative and have to be dealt with in a dual institutional perspective: the formal and the informal sector (Makinde, 2014; National Population Census, NPC, 2006). How can the Nigerian housing provision be improved and what are the new roles that policy can play to address the housing shortages in Nigerian cities?@en

Purpose – Real estate professionals are vital resources to the property firms and the industry atlarge. Employees’ skills, knowledge and competence contribute in great measure to organisation’s business performance. The purpose of this study is to examine the adequacy ofcore knowledge and soft skills possessed by professional employees within the Nigerian real estate practicing firms. It also assesses the performance of the employees and establishes the correlation among the soft skills possessed by employees.

Design/methodology/approach – Data for this study were elicited through the administration of questionnaires on Principal Partners/Branch Managers (the employers) of the practicing Estate Surveying and Valuation firms in Lagos metropolis, Nigeria. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one sample t-test, and correlation analysis.

Findings – The result indicates that employees of estate firms in Nigeria demonstrate adequate knowledge in ten, out of twenty one core areas of real estate practice while real estate agency has the highest mean; and inadequate knowledge in eleven others with least mean score in environmental impact assessment. The study also revealed that the employees possess good listening and communication skills but deficient in courteousness and writing skill, among others. It was also found that real estate employees were performing the best in inspection functions but below average in report writing and handling of transaction. The study also established a significant relationship among all the soft skills except communication skill and
courteousness.

Research limitations/implications – Further study that looks at the performance of real estate graduates working in other sectors/organizations other than estate companies is required to establish their competence level in global employment market. Further study is also needed to cover the views of the employees in Nigerian market as this study focuses on the views of the employers.

Originality/value – This study provides an important feedback for the policy makers in the design/review of curriculum for real estate education towards enhancing employability of the graduates. This study also serves as the research blueprint in giving attention to assessment of soft skills among real estate employees in Nigerian real estate industry.

Keywords Knowledge, Soft skills, Employee, Real estate firms, Nigeria@en

Purpose
Risk in home ownership from mortgage providers’ perspectives has received tremendous attention than individual home owner’s perspectives in existing literature following the financial crisis in 2007/2008 within the euro zone. This paper explored the risks factors in homeowners from the individual household’s perspectives within the owner-occupied housingsector in Dutch housing market.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopted a broader review of extent literature on the different concepts and views on risk in homeownership. These concepts are unified into a framework that enhances our understanding of the perceived sophisticated risk in owner-occupier with focus on the Netherlands.

Findings: From the perspective of the homeowner, two main types of risks were identified: default payment and property price risk. The paper has unearthed a quantum number of factors which underline the above risks. These factors relate to the initial amount of mortgage loan taken out, the future housing expenses and the income development of the owner-occupier. Family disintegration is identified as one of the main causes of mortgage default and that of property
price risk are mainly influenced by income levels, interest rates and conditions in the social and private rental sectors.

Research limitations/implications
Findings of the paper are based on review of the extant literature in the context of the Dutch housing market. Possible rigorous situational analysis using other tools are recommended for further research

Originality/value
This paper contributes to the much needed body of knowledge in the owner-occupied sector and provides a better understanding of risk in home ownership from the individual perspectives.
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Recent critique against the past urban housing provision strategies in Nigeria was that the low-income groups are marginalised. It then led to the adoption of public private partnership (PPP) initiative with a view to pursuing the broad goal of housing-for-all in Nigeria. Most recent studies have however criticised the effectiveness of the existing PPP practice in the housing provision structure without providing a pragmatic suggestion towards an effective framework for improvement. It thus raised the question; what are the main causes of ineffectiveness of existing PPP in housing provision and how can an effective PPP policy framework for urban low-income housing be achieved in Nigeria? This study utilised the concepts of new institutional economics (NIE) - a theoretical and methodological underpinning for multi-actors’ policy matters. Using qualitative data from structured interview and credible literature sources, findings indicate that uncertainties in land accessibility, high transaction costs and the developers’ high profit agenda, are the major causes of PPP ineffectiveness for housing provision, which are also attributed to lack of a specific PPP policy that recognises all income groups and their roles on housing provision. End-users suggested that government could have a negotiation with land owners and building materials dealers to address the housing problem. In conclusion, it is established in this study that adoption of all-inclusive conceptual approach described within the context of NIE thought can facilitate an effective planning for urban low-income housing in Nigeria. KEYWORDS: Cities, Low-income-housing, NIE, Nigeria, PPP.@en

Housing shortage in Nigeria is likened to a cankerworm that parasites the fabrics of development in cities. Deficit grows at an alarming rate from about 8 million in 1991 to over 16 million in 2015. Government’s numbers of policy and initiative programme meant to facilitate formal access to decent housing are no more guaranteed in the changing developing market. The problematic features and complex issues in urban housing parlance have hence resulted to the emergence of informality that boosts housing provision, nonetheless the inherent deficiencies in some outputs. The actors in the informal sectors also attribute the challenges confronting the existing informal strategies to both internal and external factors not far from policy that can improve quantity and quality of housing in cities. Hence, what is the nature of Nigerian urban housing provision structure and how can the existing housing provision strategies be improved to increase housing provision?.Using institutional theoretical approach (Structure- Agency), this study identifies the existing informal strategies. It will evaluate the event- sequences of the strategies within the context of factors of production (Land, Labour and Capital) in Lagos - the largest city in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) and with high housing vulnerability. The interest and the ideology (motivating factors) will also be investigated from the informal providers. Lessons learnt from the analysis and synthesis of exiting housing instruments in similar developing countries will form a new policy framework. Consequently, the framework will be subjected to experts’ opinion (Delphi) towards a policy paradigm for the extension of provision in cities.@en

The argument in the recent time was that the past strategies of the government in housing provision were obviously in favour of high income groups as the low-medium groups are victims of housing inadequacy in cities. The corollary to the situation resulted to the call for the adoption of public private partnership (PPP) initiative in order to accomplish the broad goal of housing-for-all in Nigeria. Most recent studies have established that there is no substantial contribution reported from the initiative, as the housing outputs are only affordable at present by high income groups, thus there is a need for a policy framework to ensure an effective PPP in urban housing provision. The aim of this paper is to suggest a policy framework for the way forward- the approach that is based on both theoretical and conceptual model, as related to Nigeria housing provision structure. This study utilises existing empirical studies, reports and theoretical concepts. It also utilises the responses from housing professionals on modalities of enhancing urban housing provision through PPP model in Nigeria. It was confirmed that the PPP model for housing provision in Nigeria is an emerging concept that lacks a specific policy and has little contribution in urban housing provision. Hence, the paper opines that the context for ensuring an effective collaboration that will make a PPP model is by incorporating all the institutions (poles), interests (motivating factors), norms, values (cultural practices), property rights and transaction costs. It is concluded that all the income groups should be considered as parts of the stakeholders in the formulation of a better PPP policy framework that addresses the housing needs of the majority of the dwellers in cities. This conceptual idea is referred to as New Institutional Economics (NIE) Approach.@en

The housing need of the burgeoning population, economic development and increasing urbanization have intensified the significance of land accessibility as an avenue towards improving housing provision in Nigerian urban centres. Literature in housing provision in Nigeria identified land accessibility factors in urban centres, yet there appears a gap in empirical housing studies on the specific orders of the accessibility from the perspectives of the urban low-middle income housing providers in Nigeria. This study examines the dimensions, extent of importance of the factors and their joint interactive influence on housing provision. Data were collected through a validated survey questionnaire, backed up with interview in Lagos. Analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential (t- test, relative importance index, RII and correlation statistics). Findings show that tenure security is the major accessibility factor and the least factor is availability (scarcity). It is further revealed that each identified factor influences one another in a different dimension in providing for urban housing. In conclusion, the need for an efficient land administration/ governance towards improving urban housing provision is recommended.@en

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nature and dimension of non-compliance (defiance) with lease agreement obligations in private rental housing market between managers (agents/private rental housing providers or landlords) and end-users (tenants – rental housing consumers), with a view to identifying challenges in rental housing lease administration in Nigeria emerging rental market.

Design/methodology/approach – The quantitative data collected from practicing estate surveyor and valuers (statutorily registered agents), who manage private rental housing in their portfolios on behalf of owners and tenants, who occupy rental housing within Lagos state (the largest property market in Nigeria and West Africa). Using a theoretical model in the context of five lease agreement obligations, data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (one sample t-test, independent t-test and correlation).

Findings – While economic circumstances (economic factors) are considered the major vulnerable factor that cause acts of non-compliance, defiance against “covenant not- to- sublet (subletting covenant (SC))” and “prompt rental payment covenant” are the two most non-compliance attitudes (precipitation events) observed from both actors. There is correlation among all vulnerability elements and precipitating events. While a significant relationship was only observed between “SC” and all vulnerability elements on the part of agents, there is significant relationship among all the vulnerability elements and precipitating events on the part of tenants. Also, while tenants attached higher significance to all the vulnerability factors than managers, both actors attached different level of priority to precipitating events. Lastly, equitable remedies and peaceful entry are the two most adopted intervention tools.

Research limitations/implications – This paper is limited to seeking both the professional opinion of licensed/registered agents and the rental housing consumers-tenants.

Practical implications – The research points to an increasing need for the stakeholders – Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (a Government parastatal) and the Nigerian Institutions of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (the constituted professional body), to establish and reform the code of practice in this direction with due consideration to the factors identified in this study. Effort also should be upgraded in the intervention techniques adopted in order to improve on emerging rental market.

Originality/value – The paper explores an important aspect of lease administration in private rental housing market. It also provides platform on which the acts of defiance can be wiped out in the emerging rental market.@en

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors affecting academic performance of real estate students in a developing country like Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach: Data for the study were collected with the aid of questionnaire served on 152 final year real estate students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Federal University of Technology Akure, in southwestern Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: Findings show that the factors relating to academic assessment, parent/family background and teaching methods or techniques have more impact on students’ academic performance, while school and general academic environment had less influence on students’ academic performance. Research limitations/implications: The study complements the body of knowledge regarding the factors influencing real estate students’ academic performance from the point of view of an emerging economy where issues of socioeconomic, academic and training perspectives differ from what obtains in advanced economies. Originality/value: This study is one of the few attempts at establishing factors that influence real estate students’ performance, especially from an emerging economy like Nigeria.@en