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In this research we analyse the most important factors that determine housing prices. On the one hand, we test whether neighbourhoods with a good accessibility are more attractive and consequently show higher housing prices. For this purpose, we introduce an adapted Walk Score as part of the accessibility indicators. On the other hand, we compare a...
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... a former industrial city, is the located in the Ruhr area, a former highly industrialised and densely populated polycentric agglomeration within the Western part of Germany. The city grew rapidly during industrialisation period and main industrial areas were built in close proximity to residential and commercial areas (Figure 1). In 2015 it had a population of 596,575 and is therefore the largest city within the Ruhr area (City of Dortmund, 2016). ...
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... calculated average housing prices per square metre, comparing the value of a single dwelling with that at all other locations. Figure 10 shows two of the components of the spatial auto-correlation analyses for rental dwellings. The blue dots portray dwellings with below-average prices and with neighbours also with below-average prices (low-low observations). ...
Context 3
... addition, for owner-occupied apartments the level of Escapist milieus was also important: one additional standard deviation of the percentage of Escapist milieus lowered the m 2 price for owner-occupied dwellings by 150 € (OLS model; −120 € spatial lag model). Figures 11 and 12 show the spatial distribution of different levels of Precarious and Escapist milieus, with low levels of Precarious and Escapist milieus in the southern part of the city, but higher levels in the northern part. There is also a spatial concentration of these two milieus in a more densely populated subcentre located in the northern part of Hörde (one of the administrative districts, located in the southern part of Dortmund). ...
Citations
... Walkability refers to the ease and safety of walking in an area, and it is influenced by various factors such as the quality of pedestrian infrastructure, the proximity of amenities, and the population density. Some researchers correlated the prices of residential complexes with the walk scores, observing that walkable neighborhoods have a significant influence on apartment prices (Wittowsky et al., 2020;Yang et al., 2018). A study conducted in the United States confirms that a single-point increase in walk score causes apartment prices to rise about USD 700-3,000 (Cortright, 2009), and a 10-point increase is correlated with a 1-9% price increase (Pivo & Fisher, 2011). ...
The present study uses methods based on Geographic Information System (GIS) to investigate the distribution of new residential buildings in Craiova (Romania) and assess their accessibility to key urban services. The focus is on collective housing developments constructed after 2015, encompassing both completed and ongoing projects. The research evaluates accessibility at the neighborhood level, considering key facilities and services such as banking services, pharmacies, kindergartens, primary schools, supermarkets, sport facilities, and green urban areas. Data for urban services were collected from open-source databases (OpenStreetMap, Copernicus Land Monitoring-Urban Atlas) and completed by field investigations. Isochrones, representing travel time from each residential building to the selected services, are used to measure the residents' accessibility by multiple travel modes. Additionally, the study considers the proximity of new residential buildings to the old historical city center, as a hub for shopping and leisure activities, and the walkability of the neighborhoods where the collective residences are located. The findings shed light on the spatial distribution of new residential developments in relation to essential urban services, providing valuable insights for urban planning and development strategies in Craiova, as well as for future residential investments.
... Since majority of existing models are estimated based on pre-pandemic data, it is critical to understand if pre-pandemic housing price models are able to represent the effects of unprecedented events such as COVID-19 and if they are applicable for pandemic period. In the case of modeling technique, conventional hedonic price models are criticized due to the limitation to address the effect of nearby observations (i.e., autocorrelation) as well as the latent heterogeneity (Jun, 2013;Wittowsky et al., 2020;Xiao, 2017). Therefore, it is essential to accommodate the autocorrelation and unobserved heterogeneity simultaneously within the housing price modeling framework. ...
... In the case of spatial autocorrelation, Wittowsky et al. (2020) examined the influence of neighboring apartments on housing prices in Dortmund. They proposed a spatial autoregressive model that introduces a spatial lag variable based on a spatial weight matrix. ...
... The spatio-temporal autocorrelation parameter shows a positive relationship, revealing the existence of significant quarterly spatial dependence in the dataset, which is consistent with the previous study (Wittowsky et al., 2020). However, the influence of quarterly neighboring dwelling price varies across the two segments. ...
Housing price is a critical component of integrated urban models (IUMs). The housing market in Canada was affected by COVID-19 including significant price hikes. This poses the question: how transferable are our pre-pandemic travel and land use models to the pandemic period? This question is specifically relevant for IUM's land use modeling components, such as housing market, since these models tend to make longer-range predictions. With this motivation, this study investigates temporal transferability of housing price micromodel of an IUM. Separate latent segmentation-based autoregressive (LSA) models are developed for pre-pandemic and pandemic periods using sales data from 2016 to 2021 for Central Okanagan region. The key feature of LSA models is to accommodate unobserved heterogeneity, spatial autocorrelation, and temporal correlation. The parameter estimation results of the two models suggest significant differences exist between two periods. For example, buyers are likely to spend more to reside in mixed land use areas during pre-pandemic period. During the pandemic, people are willing to spend more for areas with homogeneous land uses such as residential areas. Furthermore, the pre-pandemic model is applied to pandemic context to examine temporal transferability based on statistical and predictive measures. Results reveal significant differences between the two models. Findings provide empirical evidence on the need for re-estimation or re-calibration of the pre-pandemic model parameters prior to applying for the pandemic period. Developed model will be included in an IUM which is expected to enhance the capacity of IUM to test impacts of socioeconomic shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic on housing market.
... For Germany, there are only a few published studies on property value and urban greenery. Wittowsky et al. (2020) [14], based on [15][16][17][18][19][20][21], summarized the neighborhood related aspects, namely, surrounding walkability, crime level, school quality, racial or ethnic population composition, green spaces and amenity investment effects, as well as presence or absence and quality of sidewalks. Moreover, the applicable price models are hedonic price modelling [22] and accessibility [21]. ...
... For Germany, there are only a few published studies on property value and urban greenery. Wittowsky et al. (2020) [14], based on [15][16][17][18][19][20][21], summarized the neighborhood related aspects, namely, surrounding walkability, crime level, school quality, racial or ethnic population composition, green spaces and amenity investment effects, as well as presence or absence and quality of sidewalks. Moreover, the applicable price models are hedonic price modelling [22] and accessibility [21]. ...
... Moreover, the applicable price models are hedonic price modelling [22] and accessibility [21]. The authors of Ref. [14] applied the accessibility approach to Dortmund, a former industrial city located in the German Ruhr area. While the inner city is dominated by apartment buildings, the majority of owner-occupied houses are located in the outskirts. ...
Are there any correlations between land use and the associated prices charged for the soil? What is the significance of green infrastructure and what is the significance of public facilities and transport? For the analysis of the data, various methods of factor reduction and analysis were used to identify a multiple regression model that explained the price building. An effect was found between the pricing of the standard land reference value (SLRV), number of trees and distance to allotments. Summarizing the results, less than 231 trees in an SLRV zone causes an SLRV increase, the opposite is the case with a larger number of trees. The more accessible an allotment garden is (in terms of distance <421 m), the lower the SLV in the adjacent area. If the distance that must be covered to the allotment garden increases, the SLRV of the area increases. However, a more significant influence on the SLRV was concluded by the market economy variables. In summary, the present study indicates that (a) a uniform evaluation matrix for the SLRV should be created, and (b) the present subjective land assessments by the relevant experts should be complemented through targeting further training in the ecologically oriented planning context.
... The issue of unsold new housing stock (UNHS) is significant as it directly impacts the financial standing of construction firms operating within the housing market and has broader implications for the socio-economic status of a nation (Wittowsky et al., 2020). The occurrence of UNHS serves as a significant metric within the housing market framework, as it directly impacts the profitability of the construction industry. ...
The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of design on Unsold New Houses held by members of the Kenya Property Developers Association (KPDA). The study adopted a positivist philosophy and descriptive correlational research design. The study population consisted of 4,085 unsold new houses, where a sample size of 364 units was drawn using a multistage random sampling technique. Property managers in this study were the units of observation; hence data was collected through a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics focused on relative frequency distribution, means, and standard deviation. Inferential statistics included ordinal logistic regression to test hypotheses and one-way ANOVA to assess the differences between group means. The generalized ordinal logistic regression study results revealed that the design of the unsold new house explains 36% of the duration it remained unsold (r2 = 0.36). The findings further indicated that having other bedrooms ensuite (β = -1.548, p < 0.05), having a domestic servant's quarter (β = -1.888, p < 0.05), and having a swimming pool within the property development (β = -2.510, p < 0.05) were significant predictors of the duration of unsold new houses. The study concluded that the design of the unsold new house significantly influences the duration the house remained unsold. The study recommends that property developers should incorporate a swimming pool and domestic servant quarters in their development as well as having other bedrooms ensuite for houses with more than one bedroom.
... Those two radii correspond to 5-and 10 minutes walking distance respectively and are frequently used in accessibility studies (Wittowsky et al., 2020;Xiao et al., 2016). Municipality guidelines in Abu Dhabi (Department of Municipalities and Transport, 2021) specify a maximum catchment area of a mosque to be within a radius of 350 meters, and in Dubai (Dubai Development Authority, 2019) the radius of the catchment area shouldn't exceed 500 meters. ...
More than a house of worship, religious buildings have a critical and authoritative role in the social and political life of people. Yet, such places of divine and spirit have received limited attention in transportation and urban planning research. This research evaluates accessibility to one kind of religious institution: mosques. The article studies the ease of access to mosques at walkable distances of 400 m and 800 m radii in twelve selected neighborhoods in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Analysis uses the gravity metric under two network scenarios: streets only, and the combined network of streets and alleys. Gravity values demonstrate three types of accessibility to mosques: plots without access, plots with minimum access to one mosque, and plots with choice access to more than one mosque. Findings show neighborhoods have experienced an erratic decrease in accessibility to mosques. In both cities, percentages of plots with an overall accessibility to mosques, (sum of both minimum and choice), were higher in the pre- and-early-suburban phases. With the inclusion of alleyways, the overall accessibility percentages increased in many cases. The study reveals that good pedestrian accessibility results from an effective interplay between street design, plot densities, network intersection density, strategic placement of alleys, and mosques’ ratio and spatial distribution.
... Over recent decades, numerous studies have examined the contributions that different locational and environmental factors make to variations in property value, such as accessibility to different services (e.g. Wittowsky et al., 2020), land-use mixture (e.g. Song and Knaap, 2004), and street layout (e.g. ...
The influence of neighbourhood characteristics on housing prices has gained increasing attention from scholars in recent decades. However, studies on the three-dimensional nature of urban space, and particularly the vertical dimension, have remained limited. This study investigates previously unexplored variables that can capture the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land-use configuration. In addition, this study proposes a spatially filtered multi-level approach to modelling variations in property values which can capture both spatial and multi-level effects. The research findings reveal a price premium for housing located in immediate neighbourhoods with more open mid-rise buildings and low plants. The results also demonstrate the varying effects of determinants of house pricing in spatially heterogeneous zones.
... In housing and land research, the accessibility to urban amenities has been highlighted in empirical studies. The most discussed one is the accessibility to public transportation (Tian et al., 2017;Wittowsky et al., 2020). The recent popularity of electronic vehicles makes charging stations bring additional value to properties in California (Liang et al., 2023). ...
Analyzing how the underlying mechanism influences land value changes is essential to understanding the land market, which contributes to sustainable urbanization. Drawing upon a land transaction dataset, we analyze the determinants of urban land prices from 2008 to 2020, considering land supply and demands, with particular attention to natural restrictions and government interventions in China. The statistical analysis suggests that the inequality in industrial and commercial land prices rose from 2008 to 2015 and decreased after 2015. The inequality in residential land prices has kept rising from 2008 to 2020 because land finance is still essential to local government. Discriminatory price strategy for industrial land prices in eastern China is getting more popular. The regression models reveal the significant negative impact of natural restrictions on land price, and such impact from natural restrictions is decreasing after 2015. The market forces represented by city-level socioeconomic factors are becoming more important after 2015, indicating a more free land market in China. We also find the gaps between cities and counties in land prices are closing, which might benefit the recent development in rural and county region of China. These findings provide important insights into the transition in the land market in China from 2008 to 2020, which also contribute to a better understanding of the spatial inequality in the land market and the heterogeneity in different land-use types.
... We develop and implement this walkability index based on the example of the two medium-sized cities of Goslar and Kempten, located in the north and, respectively, the south of Germany. Accessibility analyses in Germany are primarily carried out in large cities on the one hand [21,25] and in rural areas with their pressing challenges on the other [26,27]. Cities of a small or medium size tend to be less of a focus, despite promising studies in other countries [28,29]. ...
... Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2022, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 1525) when the maximum slope is 10 percent rather than when it is 15 percent. In all higher WS categories (25-50, 50-70, 70-90, 90-100) the number of walkable facilities is higher when a 15 percent slope is permitted instead of 10 percent. ...
In this article, we describe the design of a method for measuring walkability and its application in two medium-sized cities in Germany. The method modifies the established Walk Score with regard to the needs of older people. While the original Walk Score takes a 2D approach by calculating the reachability of service facilities on a flat road network, we include 3D information by taking into account slopes and stairs. We also pay attention to the longer walking times of the elderly and adjust the selection and weighting of supply facilities according to their relevance for elderly people. The implementation results in a concentric walkability pattern, with a high Walk Score in the inner-city area that is decreasing towards the periphery, but with many anomalies resulting from local inhomogeneity in population and facility distribution and topography. The study shows that it is possible to refine the Walk Score to meet the needs of older people, as well as to implement the methodology in Germany using a combination of voluntary geographic information and high-quality official datasets. We see our research as a step forward on the way to more realistic walkability metrics for senior-sensitive urban planning.
... A review of the literature on the subject, carried out at an initial stage, made it possible to distinguish a number of important attributes within the property market belonging to each of the distinguished groups (Table 1). Čeh et al. [10] Escobedo et al. [11] Wu et al. [12] Park et al. [13] Ko et al. [14] Szczepańska et al. [15] Trojanek et al. [16] Marano and Tajani [17] Ottensmann et al. [18] Tomal [19] Zancanella et al. [20] Characteristics of neighborhood Distance to city center Distance to schools Availability of public transport Distance to stores Distance to recreational areas Nuisance neighborhoods (airport, etc.) Distance to industrial zones Payton et al. [21] Sah et al. [22] Cordera et al. [23] Heyman et al. [24] Tyrväinen [25] Kopsch [26] Wittowsky et al. [27] Characteristics of environment Distance to lakes Distance to green areas, parks Distance to legally protected areas Air pollution Distance to other valuable natural areas (e.g., mountains) Sander and Haight [28] Łaszkiewicz et al. [29] Pearson et al. [30] Chen and Chen [31] Xiao et al. [32] Characteristics of economic conditions ...
The price of dwellings is determined by a number of attributes among which location factors are usually the most important. Comprehensive analyses of the real estate market should take into account a broad spectrum of attributes including economic factors, physical, neighborhood and environment characteristics. The primary objective of the study was to answer the question of what determinants affect transaction prices within the housing market in Poznań. The analysis was performed on the basis of source data obtained from the Board of Geodesy and Urban Cadastre GEOPOZ in Poznań. In our study, we used two research regression methods: ordinary least squares and geographically weighted regression. The estimated models made it possible to formulate specific conclusions related to the identification of local determinants of housing prices in the Poznań housing market. The results of the study confirmed that the use of the proposed techniques makes it possible to identify attributes relevant to the local market, and, moreover, the use of spatial analysis leads to an increase in the quality of the description of the characteristics of the analyzed phenomenon. Finally, the results obtained indicate the diversity of the analyzed market and highlight its ambiguity and complexity.
... In housing and land research, the accessibility to urban amenities has been highlighted in empirical studies. The most discussed one is the accessibility to public transportation (Tian et al., 2017;Wittowsky et al., 2020). The recent popularity of electronic vehicles makes charging stations bring additional value to properties in California (Liang et al., 2023). ...
Residential land price is a critical component of housing prices and affordability, and existing studies of its influencing factors emphasize location and accessibility. This study analyzes the effects of neighborhood land use, especially employment and services, on residential land prices in Nanjing, a subcenter in the Yangtze River Delta region, China. We find that residential land prices are positively associated with producer services, as well as public and commercial services, and negatively associated with manufacturing. Further analysis reveals the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of manufacturing on residential land prices, which become positive in suburban regions. The effects of neighborhood land use on residential land prices are sensitive to the distance to the central business district. The geographically and temporally weighted regression model uncovers the temporal heterogeneity that the positive impacts of public and commercial services on residential land prices have been decreasing while the producer service is playing a more significant role. The results of this study contribute to the literature by shedding light on the impact of neighborhood land use on residential land prices based on spatial-temporal dynamics.
