Asking AI to produce a Housing Studies research theme and proposal based on a few key words: housing liquidity

Asking AI to produce a Housing Studies research theme and proposal based on a few key words: housing liquidity (information from perplexity.ai)

My question 1: "Please suggest a Housing Studies research theme, via the pragmatism lens, on the following key words: housing liquidity in Hong Kong, housing policy, home purchase confidence for generation z."

The reply: "A suitable theme is:

“Housing liquidity, housing policy and Gen Z’s home purchase confidence in Hong Kong: a mixed‑methods study under a pragmatist lens.”

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Core idea

This theme examines how policy-driven changes in transaction costs, mortgage rules and supply conditions shape market liquidity and, in turn, influence Generation Z’s confidence to purchase homes in Hong Kong. It explicitly adopts pragmatism by focusing on “what works” in practice for improving Gen Z’s ability and willingness to transact, using methods and theories chosen for their practical usefulness rather than their philosophical purity.

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Possible research questions

• How do recent and ongoing housing policies (e.g. stamp duty/cooling‑measure adjustments, mortgage guidelines, subsidised housing schemes) affect secondary market liquidity in different price bands relevant to Gen Z buyers.
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• How does observed housing liquidity (e.g. transaction volume, days‑on‑market) relate to Gen Z’s perceived chances of entering the housing ladder and their confidence about timing a purchase.
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• How do Gen Z respondents interpret the practical impacts of housing policy on their own buying strategies (e.g. wait, rent longer, buy smaller/elsewhere, use family support).
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Pragmatist framing

Under a pragmatist lens, the study could:

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• Combine quantitative indicators (liquidity metrics, policy timelines, affordability ratios) with qualitative insights (interviews/focus groups with Gen Z) to see which policy-liquidity configurations actually enhance confidence.
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• Treat concepts such as “confidence” and “liquidity” as practical tools: their value lies in how well they help explain and guide real decisions of young households in Hong Kong’s volatile, policy‑sensitive housing market.
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Suggested title variants

• “When liquidity meets policy: A pragmatist inquiry into Gen Z home purchase confidence in Hong Kong.”
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• “From policy to transaction: Understanding housing liquidity and Generation Z’s confidence to buy homes in Hong Kong through a pragmatic mixed‑methods approach.”."

My question 2: "Based on the proposed research theme, please come up with a research dissertation proposal, based on pragmatism, for part-time Housing Students with the following proposal information:

1. Dissertation report title

2. 3 research issues (including research gaps) and 3 Hong Kong public media reported issues

3. 4 research objectives and 3 research questions

4. 2 primary research methods and 1 secondary research method

5. 3 housing studies academic theories (with references in Harvard reference format)

6. A brief justification of the dissertation proposal in terms of academic, practical and originality value."

The reply: "

1. Dissertation Report Title

Housing Liquidity, Policy Interventions and Generation Z Home Purchase Confidence in Hong Kong: A Pragmatist Inquiry.

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2. Research Issues and Media-Reported Issues

Academic Research Gaps/Issues

• Limited empirical linkage between policy-induced liquidity shifts (e.g., stamp duty relaxations, LTV adjustments) and young buyers' confidence metrics in high-density markets like Hong Kong.
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• Insufficient mixed-methods studies testing how liquidity shocks propagate spatially to affect Gen Z entry barriers, overlooking pragmatist validation of policy effectiveness.
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• Under-explored role of information asymmetry in eroding confidence among first-time Gen Z buyers amid volatile secondary market liquidity.
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Hong Kong Public Media-Reported Issues

• Gen Z youth view home ownership as an "impossible dream" due to wages lagging sky-high prices and long public housing waits (over 5 years).
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• Recent policy easing (e.g., HKMA mortgage relaxations since Oct 2024) boosts transactions but high inventories (78+ months supply) dampen confidence in market stabilization by late 2025.
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• Push for "climbing the housing ladder" via Light Public Housing (LPH) and 420,000-unit 10-year target, yet young people opt out amid perceptions of unfair mainland investor favoritism.
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3. Research Objectives and Questions

Objectives

• To quantify policy impacts on housing liquidity using transaction data from 2023-2026.
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• To explore Gen Z perceptions of liquidity-policy-confidence dynamics through qualitative insights.
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• To validate pragmatist interventions that practically enhance young buyers' market entry.
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• To propose evidence-based policy tweaks for sustainable Gen Z confidence-building.
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Questions

• How do specific policies (e.g., LTV caps, stamp duties) influence liquidity metrics in Hong Kong's secondary market?
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• In what ways does observed liquidity affect Gen Z home purchase confidence levels?
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• Which mixed-methods configurations best reveal actionable policy-liquidity-confidence pathways?
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4. Research Methods

Primary Methods

• Quantitative: Econometric analysis of Rating and Valuation Department transaction data (volumes, TOM, prices) pre/post-policy changes, using spatial panel models.
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• Qualitative: Semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 30-50 Gen Z (aged 18-28) potential buyers in Fanling/North District and urban areas.
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Secondary Method

• Archival/policy document review: Government reports (LTHS 2025), HKMA bulletins, media analyses on liquidity trends.
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Pragmatism justifies mixing these for practical problem-solving, with part-time feasibility via phased data collection (e.g., secondary first, primaries over 6-9 months).

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5. Housing Studies Theories

• Housing Market Liquidity Theory: Posits that transaction ease (volume, speed) drives returns and stability, with spatial spillovers in dense markets (Jiang et al., 2017).
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• Asymmetric Information in Real Estate: Explains low liquidity via seller-buyer knowledge gaps, reducing Gen Z confidence (Wong, 2010).
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• Housing Ladder Mobility Framework: Views policy as enabling upward progression, tested pragmatically for youth efficacy (Forrest et al., 2011).
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6. Justification

This proposal holds academic value by advancing pragmatist mixed-methods in Housing Studies, filling gaps in liquidity-confidence linkages via spatial empirics. Practically, it equips policymakers with Gen Z-validated tweaks to LTHS targets and mortgage rules, aiding 420k-unit delivery amid 5+ year waits. Originality stems from Hong Kong-specific Gen Z focus post-2024 policy shifts, blending liquidity metrics with youth narratives for actionable insights absent in prior works."

My question 3: "Please produce a reference list in Harvard reference format, with 4 academic and 4 non-academic references for the proposal above."

The reply: "

Reference List

Academic References

Jiang, W., Ma, Y. and Zhu, Z. (2017) 'Does liquidity affect housing market performance? An empirical study with spatial panel approach', Land Use Policy, 69, pp. 111-120.

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Wong, K. (2010) 'Liquidity and information asymmetry in the real estate market', SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.1539599.

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Ho, J. (2025) 'A note on pragmatism as a research philosophy', josephho33.blogspot.com [Blog post, accessed 18 Jan 2026].

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Forrest, R., Koh, S.Y. and Yip, N.M. (2011) 'Family matters: The role of family in home ownership in Hong Kong', Housing Studies, 26(4), pp. 481-498.

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Non-Academic References

Hong Kong Monetary Authority (2017) Estimating the drivers of HK's housing price short run fluctuations. Research Memorandum RM03-2017. Available at: 

https://www.hkma.gov.hk/media/eng/publication-and-research/research/research-memorandums/2017/RM03-2017.pdf

 (Accessed: 18 January 2026).

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Transport and Housing Bureau (2025) Long Term Housing Strategy Annual Progress Report 2025. Hong Kong Government. Available at: 

https://www.hb.gov.hk:8443/eng/policy/housing/policy/lths/LTHS_Annual_Progress_Report_2025.pdf

 (Accessed: 18 January 2026).

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Global Property Guide (2025) Hong Kong's residential property market analysis 2025. Available at: 

https://www.globalpropertyguide.com/asia/hong-kong/price-history

 (Accessed: 18 January 2026).

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South China Morning Post (2025) 'Hong Kong Housing Authority to boost subsidised flats size, relax resale rules'. Available at: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3331820/hong-kong-housing-authority-boost-subsidised-flats-size-relax-resale (Accessed: 18 January 2026)."

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