The Measurement of Intra-Distributional Mobility: An Investigation of District Long-Term Housing Vacancies

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This paper could be an interesting contribution if it streamlines the content in connection to a problem description and an aim for the study (is it a methodological paper to add analytical tools or a descriptive paper to learn more about vacancy rates?).   

I suggest to re-write the introduction (1-5) to better match the study, including an aim and some research question (whether it's related to the applicability of the method in this context, or to the empirical investigation of the situation in the housing market) that can help the reader into the paper. The new policies described last in the conclusions (starting with "On 11 March...") might be a good introduction/motivation for the entire paper.  

Comments on the Quality of English Language

As far as I can judge the use of language is correct (excluding minor typos) but not necessarily easy to read.

Author Response

Comments:

This paper could be an interesting contribution if it streamlines the content in connection to a problem description and an aim for the study (is it a methodological paper to add analytical tools or a descriptive paper to learn more about vacancy rates?).  

.

I suggest to re-write the introduction (1-5) to better match the study, including an aim and some research question (whether it's related to the applicability of the method in this context, or to the empirical investigation of the situation in the housing market) that can help the reader into the paper. The new policies described last in the conclusions (starting with "On 11 March...") might be a good introduction/motivation for the entire paper. 

Responses:

I have taken on board the recommendations by you and the other referees. The changes should be highlighted in yellow. The are substantial. It was recommended that there is a restructuring and a better focussing of the paper. Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions are used as headings

Your recommendation entailed an emphasis on the introduction. The introduction has been rewritten with the above in mind. In particular the …starting with comment and the motivation.

The emphasis is now more on tools.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Measurement of Distributional Mobility. An investigation of Convergence in District Long Term Housing Vacancies.

Overall evaluation: Taking the housing vacancy problem in the UK as a starting point, the thesis explains the causes of long-term housing vacancy in the UK from the perspectives of housing price theory, labor market theory and the financial crisis, and uses relevant data to illustrate the “long memory” of the long-term vacancy rate at the local and regional levels. The topic of the thesis is relevant, but the following problems remain:

 

1. The authors discuss and compare various assessment methods at great length in the introduction of the paper. It is suggested that the authors highlight the background, necessity and significance of the study in the introduction, and talk about the marginal contribution of the paper in the light of the existing research literature.

2. The layout of some chapters in the body of the paper is scattered and not well connected logically, and the title is more one-sided. It is suggested that the authors should refer to the published articles in this journal and reorganize the layout of the article content.

3. The description of the research methodology is too general and superfluous. It is suggested that the author focus on explaining how the research methodology used in the paper is related to the changes in the housing vacancy rate in various regions, and simplify some unnecessary words.

4. The paper draws rich conclusions by observing the changes in housing vacancy rates in various regions of the UK. It is recommended that the author gives further explanations on the basis of the conclusions obtained.

5. The paper combines various charts and graphs to show the required results intuitively, but some of the conclusions in the author's exposition are not supported by corresponding pictures or tables, for example, “London has the lowest vacancy rate in 2008 of all the regions when 43% of London has the lowest vacancy rate in 2008 of all the regions when 43% of vacancies were ...... ...... or were demolished.” It is suggested that the author should give a reliable conclusion based on facts.

6. In the conclusion of the paper, the urgency of solving the problem of long-term vacant housing is pointed out. Can the author give some feasible suggestions on the basis of his research?

 

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Moderate editing of English language required.

Author Response

Comments:

Overall evaluation: Taking the housing vacancy problem in the UK as a starting point, the thesis explains the causes of long-term housing vacancy in the UK from the perspectives of housing price theory, labor market theory and the financial crisis, and uses relevant data to illustrate the “long memory” of the long-term vacancy rate at the local and regional levels. The topic of the thesis is relevant, but the following problems remain:

 

 

 

1. The authors discuss and compare various assessment methods at great length in the introduction of the paper. It is suggested that the authors highlight the background, necessity and significance of the study in the introduction, and talk about the marginal contribution of the paper in the light of the existing research literature.

 

2. The layout of some chapters in the body of the paper is scattered and not well connected logically, and the title is more one-sided. It is suggested that the authors should refer to the published articles in this journal and reorganize the layout of the article content.

 

3. The description of the research methodology is too general and superfluous. It is suggested that the author focus on explaining how the research methodology used in the paper is related to the changes in the housing vacancy rate in various regions, and simplify some unnecessary words.

 

4. The paper draws rich conclusions by observing the changes in housing vacancy rates in various regions of the UK. It is recommended that the author gives further explanations on the basis of the conclusions obtained.

 

5. The paper combines various charts and graphs to show the required results intuitively, but some of the conclusions in the author's exposition are not supported by corresponding pictures or tables, for example, “London has the lowest vacancy rate in 2008 of all the regions when 43% of London has the lowest vacancy rate in 2008 of all the regions when 43% of vacancies were ...... ...... or were demolished.” It is suggested that the author should give a reliable conclusion based on facts.

 

6. In the conclusion of the paper, the urgency of solving the problem of long-term vacant housing is pointed out. Can the author give some feasible suggestions on the basis of his research?

 

Responses:

I have taken on board the recommendations by you and the other referees. The changes should be highlighted in yellow. The are substantial. It was recommended that there is a restructuring and a better focussing of the paper. Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions are used as headings. Your specific points are addressed below

 

1. Not only you recommended a rewriting of the introduction. It is rewritten with a stringer focus on the nature of the paper. The contributions are mentioned around rank based metrics and intra-distributional mobility

 

1. The layout of some chapters is altered. Point 3 below is well taken. There has been a reordering and filleting of work to improve the flow. The title of the piece is altered. New references have been added that feature use of vacant housing data and landlord activities

 

3. The description of the research methodology is reduced focusing how the research methodology used in the paper. Hopefully I have succeeded in simplifying some unnecessary words.

 

4. The conclusions I trust better reflect earlier sections. The emphasis is placed on the distributional change. Hopefully the discussion section supports the conclusions obtained.

 

5. Sorry about the charts. It was recommended that the charts be split by another referee. The comment: London has the lowest vacancy rate in 2008 of all the regions when 43% of London has the lowest vacancy rate in 2008 of all the regions when 43% of vacancies … is correct based on vacancies. South East had the lowest rate of long term vacancies Reordering the paragraphs hopefully address this misleading commentary and that is evident in the figures fits the commentary.

 

6. In the introduction and conclusion are altered to better focus on what of the paper discussed. The general finding paper is that LTV do not tie well with other housing market indicators. BTL landlords have been successful at revitalising the renting market. However, their incentive have been reduced, which coincides with a rise in LTV. Thus one conclusion is that the impact of the BTL landlord should be subject to more research. A second conclusion is that the shuffling metrics do not highlight the North as distinctive. It maintains a larger proportion of LTV but the shuffling rate is not that distinctive.

 

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Overall, the paper is interesting and conveys important information regarding the patterns and dynamics of vacancy rate in the UK housing, and provide a useful and easy tool for policy-maker. 

My main suggestion is below. 

The focus of this paper is a bit ambiguous between two, i.e., proposing a method for data-mining of rank data, and investigating the patterns of VR in the UK context. Either is fine but it should be clear and then restructure "introduction" accordingly. From my point of view, I would suggest the latter as Section 2-5 path a way of theoretical background for the topic. 

At the beginning of "method", could you please provide a brief introduction to your method. For example, a short review of relevant method/literature. 

Figure 1 and 2 should be split into multiple panels.

 

Comments on the Quality of English Language

There are a few typos may need a attention, for example, 'papaer'. 

Author Response

Comments:

Overall, the paper is interesting and conveys important information regarding the patterns and dynamics of vacancy rate in the UK housing, and provide a useful and easy tool for policy-maker.

 

My main suggestion is below.

 

The focus of this paper is a bit ambiguous between two, i.e., proposing a method for data-mining of rank data, and investigating the patterns of VR in the UK context. Either is fine but it should be clear and then restructure "introduction" accordingly. From my point of view, I would suggest the latter as Section 2-5 path a way of theoretical background for the topic.

 

At the beginning of "method", could you please provide a brief introduction to your method. For example, a short review of relevant method/literature.

 

Figure 1 and 2 should be split into multiple panels.

 

Responses:

I have taken on board the recommendations by you and the other referees. The changes should be highlighted in yellow. The are substantial. It was recommended that there is a restructuring and a better focussing of the paper. Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions are used as headings. Your points are followed

Figure 1 and 2 should be split into two panels.

 

The journal wanted Materials and method as a heading, so at the beginning of "method" section there is a brief introduction to the three approaches, highlighting links to the literature

The introduction is rewritten extensively.

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The author have answered all the questions.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Minor editing of English language required.

Author Response

I have replied to the editors' comments.