Hedonic appraisal of apartments in Tirana
Authors: Thanasi (Boçe) Marsela 
Published: July 2016

Purpose

The approved methodology of property valuation in Albania evaluates the reference property prices based on the average contractual price of properties sold and takes into account only factors such as price, square meters of living and location of property. Simple method is the one used on evaluating the reference price for a group of properties with similar characteristics. The purpose of this study is, by building a hedonistic pricing model for apartments in Tirana, to prove empirically that in addition to location, there are other characteristics that affect the value of apartments.

Design/methodology/approach

The capital city is chosen as a case study for the construction of a hedonistic pricing model. In the database were included detailed characteristics of 1,421 apartments. Multiple regression analysis was chosen in this model as a method to test hypotheses about the causal relationship between house value Y and independent variables XS, representing the characteristics of the property. Population equation parameters β0, β1, β2 […], βn. were evaluated by the ordinary least squares method. Selection of α-standard is 5 per cent, taking into account the significant number of observations and the degree of regression freedom.

Findings

Based on this study, it was proved empirically that the characteristics of the apartments as square meters of living, number of rooms, access to parking, furniture, view and surface of living affect their price. As a literature review showed, location is the most important variable that affects the value. Results showed that the marginal effect that the number of rooms has on the apartment value depends on the square meters of living of the apartment. In the same line, the effect of the square meters of living on value depends on the square meters, as the relationship between these variables is nonlinear and depends more on the number of rooms.

Research limitations/implications

It was impossible to find the information on property sales contracts. That is why this study was oriented toward the market and took into account the properties offered for sale at one of the biggest real estate agency “Çelësi”. More accurate information regarding properties characteristics could be obtained. The information was limited and depended on the best apartment characteristics that potential sellers wanted to advertise. On the other side, contractual sales price is oriented by the reference price, so, the applied methodology has resulted in better evaluations of real estate prices, which reflect the market price.

Practical implications

This study is conducted as an applicable research. After analyzing the property valuation system in Albania, the study recommends the change of the method used on apartment valuation. Improvement of the property valuation system requires first of all creation of a complete and updated database for all real estate sales.

Social implications

Property valuation is a very important function of the land administration system which directly affects people’s life. Property evaluation for different purposes like tax evaluation, compensation and expropriation is a process that must be designed using an equal, transparent and well-accepted methodology by all. Promotion of property valuation system development is helpful to various interest groups in society, as it can reduce the risk of investment in this sector and encourages lower rates of interest on loans.

Originality/value

To the author's knowledge, the hedonic model is not applied on the Albanian housing market, thus providing encouragement to deepen the study in this regard. The study is original and has a very important impact on policymakers to change the actual property valuation methodology to obtain more accurate property values.