Background: The expansive monetary policy of the European Central Bank has been leading to all-time-low interest rates and to a strong move into real estate investment. Low interest rates can work in favor of the investor (due to low interest rate expenditures), but increasing interest rates can jeopardize real estate investments. Since changes in interest rates are unpredictable, an investor needs to deal with this volatility. The capital market offers several financial instruments (so-called “derivatives”) to overcome the above-mentioned obstacle. There is no “one-size-fits-all” strategy. The investor needs to decide which financing structure to combine with which form of derivative. Purpose: The investigation not only explains and shows how real estate financing and hedging strategies on a given project in Germany can work but also explains why it is crucial to link these segments. To achieve this purpose, the return on equity and return cash flows at risk are numerically estimated. The evaluative purpose will be served by using the above-mentioned ratios and cash flows to derive recommendations of action. In doing so, this study will illustrate the importance of hedging, particularly for real estate investors and investors in general. Method: Interest rates on a monthly basis for the period of June 1990 until March 2017 from Thomson Reuters Eikon and real life data from a German real estate investor and a German financial institution were collected. Thereafter, these numbers were used as a basis to perform interest rate and cash flow simulations (Monte Carlo). The simulations were used to determine superior financing and hedging strategies for the investor. Conclusion: The results of this study highlight the benefits from leveraged financing and the necessity of interest rate risk management (hedging) to obtain stabilized future cash flows and reduce volatility caused by fluctuating interest rates. Fixed rate loans offer protection against rising interest rates, but lack flexibility. Floating loans offer more flexibility but are riskier due to the unhedged interest rate exposure.

M.Com. (Business Management) / The commercial real estate broking industry is considered one of the most competitive industries globally, with research showing that it has many competitors and the ease of entry is rather easy. This research was conducted in the context of the commercial real estate broking industry in order to examine the extent of competition in the industry and to establish how one of the companies in this industry can sustain the competitive advantage. The study revealed that gaining and sustaining competitive advantage is about strengthening the resources that are not valuable, rare and imitable in the organisation as reflected in the model by Knott (2009: 166). The primary purpose of this study was to explore how JLL SA can obtain and sustain competitive advantage in the competitive commercial real estate broking environment through the Resource Based View. The research methodology applied in this study was a qualitative study, which consisted of 9 semi structured interviews from Jones Lang LaSalle South Africa (JLL SA). The criteria for the population sample was that the respondents had to have adequate experience in the commercial real estate broking industry and had a thorough knowledge of the company under review. The research highlighted a number of challenges regarding the market position of JLL SA and that the company does not have a formal rivalry strategy. From the research, it was found that strategic planning, particularly for competition happens as and when the organisation is challenged by competition. The study also reveals that JLL SA does not communicate a strategic direction for tackling competition. The main recommendations of this study is that JLL SA adopts the model suggested by Knott (2009:166) as a measure to gain and sustain competitive advantage. The model refers to the valuable, rarity and inimitability of resources through, in which JLL SA can selects attributes or resources to evaluate in order to sustain competitive commercial real estate broking industry is considered one of the most competitive industries globally, with research showing that it has many competitors and the ease of entry is rather easy. This research was conducted in the context of the commercial real estate broking industry in order to examine the extent of competition in the industry and to establish how one of the companies in this industry can sustain the competitive advantage. The study revealed that gaining and sustaining competitive advantage is about strengthening the resources that are not valuable, rare and imitable in the organisation as reflected in the model by Knott (2009: 166). The primary purpose of this study was to explore how JLL SA can obtain and sustain competitive advantage in the competitive commercial real estate broking environment through the Resource Based View. The research methodology applied in this study was a qualitative study, which consisted of 9 semi structured interviews from Jones Lang LaSalle South Africa (JLL SA). The criteria for the population sample was that the respondents had to have adequate experience in the commercial real estate broking industry and had a thorough knowledge of the company under review. The research highlighted a number of challenges regarding the market position of JLL SA and that the company does not have a formal rivalry strategy. From the research, it was found that strategic planning, particularly for competition happens as and when the organisation is challenged by competition. The study also reveals that JLL SA does not communicate a strategic direction for tackling competition. The main recommendations of this study is that JLL SA adopts the model suggested by Knott (2009:166) as a measure to gain and sustain competitive advantage. The model refers to the valuable, rarity and inimitability of resources through, in which JLL SA can selects attributes or resources to evaluate in order to sustain competitive advantage.

This paper presents the results of a study dealing with a number of issues regarding real estate investment. Utilizing a data set consisting of real estate transactions, questions relative to the impact of certain variables on the sale price are addressed. This analysis addresses the question of the impact of financial, physical, and location characteristics on the sales price of commercial grade real estate.

This dissertation consists of three separate essays. The first two essays focus on real estate brokerage; one studies the conditions for efficient employment in the real estate brokerage industry under fixed commission rates and the other examines the role of real estate agents in buyer-seller bargaining. The third essay presents an integrated analysis of housing investment and consumption choices that takes into account both the uncertainty in investment returns and liquidity constraints. Essay one presents a model of real estate trading with brokerage that integrates sequential search, two-sided matching, and the competitive entry and effort choice of real estate agents. The equilibrium employment pattern of the model helps to explain the observation that the number of agents is more sensitive to the expected transaction price than to the transaction volume. The condition for efficient employment requires the commission to be proportional to the opportunity cost of search time and the expected trading gain, with the proportion determined by the productivity of brokerage employment. Efficient employment also requires regulating the entry so as to achieve the productivity balance between the number of agents and individual effort. Essay two examines asymmetric information and bargaining within the model of real estate trading developed in essay one. The equilibrium outcomes of bargaining with and without information asymmetry are characterized with the help of mechanism design methodology, and the associated welfare levels are compared. The analysis is applied to evaluating the role of real estate agents in the bargaining. Agents seek compromises between the buyer and seller by providing credible information to both parties. Such a role is welfare improving when the scale economy of brokerage with respect to the stock of buyers and sellers is not strong and brokerage employment is sufficient. In essay three, Pratt's certainty-equivalent approximation is applied to the Henderson-Ioannides (1983) housing tenure choice model. The key trade-offs for housing investment and consumption choices induced by the uncertainty and liquidity constraints are clearly illustrated and the implications for tenure choice examined against the existing empirical evidence. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

This study is divided into two sections. The first consists of a group study in which the Nodular Metropolitan Concept is introduced. The second consists of an individual research project in which the problem of private investment in urban redevelopment is investigated. One of the objectives of the federal urban renewal program in Canada is the achievement of an efficient pattern of urban land uses. This is done by encouraging and facilitating the redevelopment of slums and blighted areas of the city to accommodate the highest and best use of the land. To accomplish this, much reliance is put on the role of private enterprise. In order to attract the interest of private developers, public assistance is called upon to provide cleared land at a price that makes it feasible for profitable private redevelopment. In this regard, the Federal Government provides a program of financial assistance to municipalities wishing to undertake urban redevelopment. Under Section 23B of the National Housing Act, the Federal Government may contribute up to one-half the cost of acquiring and clearing land for redevelopment, installing public works and services, and relocating dispossessed persons. The balance of the costs are shared by the Provincial and Municipal governments. Recorded experience has shown however, that the above objective has not always been satisfactorily achieved. Anticipated private redevelopment has not always materialized, with the result that public expenditures to encourage and facilitate private participation has yielded little or no returns. In many cases, the failure may have been due to the lack of understanding of the local real estate market and the objectives of private investors. The problem to which this study is directed is private investment in urban redevelopment. It is proposed to examine the factors affecting the extent of private participation in government sponsored urban renewal. Specifically, the study undertakes to test the hypothesis that the extent of private investment in publicly initiated urban redevelopment is influenced by such factors as: (1) project location, (2) size of disposition unit, (3) re-use plan, (4) method of sale, (5) timing of sale, (6) pricing of land, and (7) investment uncertainty. The focus is on the disposal phase of urban redevelopment. The point of view taken is that government, through its policies and plans, can influence the outcome of its redevelopment program. Rigourous testing of the hypothesis was precluded by the limitations of time and resources. Consequently, the analysis has been confined to the City of Vancouver's urban redevelopment program. A sample survey was conducted in which selected investors in two Vancouver redevelopment projects were interviewed. Each interviewee was asked if the seven items hypothesized to influence private participation in urban redevelopment was a factor in his investment decision. Secondly, to determine the relative importance of each of these, the interviewees were asked to rank the three most important factors in their investment analysis. The survey results showed that the seven hypothesized factors were considered in the investment decision making process. Of these, project location, price of land, and size of disposition unit were the most important. The hypothesis was further tested against the actual experience of Vancouver Redevelopment Project Nos. 1 and 2. The evidence of these two case studies provided an additional basis for accepting the hypothesis. Based on the research findings, it was concluded that the extent of private investment in urban redevelopment areas is conditioned by the seven factors listed earlier. Some of these appear to be more important than others, but this is likely to vary from one situation to another. However, since the study was necessarily restricted in scope, it was suggested that further testing be done. This would not only serve to test the general applicability of the hypothesis, but might uncover other facets of the general problem of private investment in urban redevelopment. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of / Graduate

The aim of this thesis is analysis of real estate market with focus to small investor with interest in appartments in Hradec Králové region. The first part is theoretical, oriented to general information about real estate market and useful economical knowledge for investing into real estate. Practical part is focused to Hradec Králové region. The best localities are find out with financial and general (e.g. geographical, demografical and infrastructure aspects) research of the region. In these recommended areas are made model analysis and potentional evaluations for the purpose of small investor in this region.

By examining the driving forces behind the recent housing market development in Hong Kong, this thesis offers an explanation for the effects of the ―Capital Investment Entrant Scheme‖ and the movements in the exchange rate between HKD and RMB on the housing prices of the overall market and two sub-markets. Induced by record-low mortgage rates and decreasing amount of new dwelling units completion, housing prices in Hong Kong surged to a record high level recently. To test the equilibrium price of housing, cointegration tests will be used to identify whether there is overvaluation in recent property market. At the end of 2010, result shows that there is no overvaluation of the overall market and two sub-markets. Besides, by using the vector error-correction model, result suggests that the ―Capital Investment Entrant Scheme‖ and appreciation of RMB against HKD have positive impact on the overall market and smaller units only. The last section will discuss current policies to curb speculation and to check housing price inflation. The discussion will focus on effectiveness of the special stamp duty and whether housing prices index futures would be a good alternative to the special stamp duty to curb speculation.

Includes abstract. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 68-71). / Surveys of firms outside the property sector indicate the growth in the use of DCF methods such as the NPV and IRR methods to evaluate projects as compared to the use of such naïve methods as Payback and the Accounting rate of return. The growing convergence of theory and practice is indicated by the growing use of the NPV method. The objective of this study is to determine the capital budgeting methods used to evaluate real estate development projects and to compare the results of a survey with the results of other studies. Further, recent developments in capital budgeting theory, indicate that the investment valuation tools such as the Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (lRR), Payback Period (PP), and theAccounting Rate of Return (ARR) may fail to recognize flexibilities in real estate development projects. As a consequence, the discounted cash flow methods (DCF) may systematically undervalue strategic or large-scale real estate development projects. Two methods are introduced as an alternative to address the weaknesses of the DCF methods. Decision Tree Analysis (DTA) employs an approach to analyse flexibilities by creating a chain of possible options and allows alternative courses of action for management to adapt their initial strategies in order to capitalise on new opportunities or to minimise losses. Real Option Analysis (ROA) introduces the theory of valuing financial derivates, in particular call options, and allows the staging of the development. These instruments further introduce a risk management aspect, as call options have a limited down side and an unlimited upside. Each approach has advantages and shortcomings and should only be used in appropriate circumstances. DTA is suited for the analysis of the project specific risks. ROA on the other hand, is a superior tool when dealing with uncertainty. The thesis finds that that over 90% of all respondents are using a combination of NPV and IRR methods most often to evaluate development opportunities. Interestingly, 85% of all respondents are also using the payback period. Other methods used are the profitability index, residual value, free cash flow, economic value, and return on equity. Developers have adopted DCF methods such as NPV and IRR as the primary methods to evaluate projects rather than naïve methods such as Payback and ARR, although these latter methods remain in use. The use of decision tree analysis and real option analysis is very limited.

The thesis discusses the collective investment. The first part deals with investment decisions and the level of risk inherent in investing entails. There are four types of formulated investing in real estate: purchase their own home, buy a property for rental, funds of qualified investors and real estate funds. Of which work deals with qualified investor funds and real estate funds, which describes the work in terms of investing in the Czech Republic. In the end, they are described three most famous Czech real estate funds, of which it is analyzed. The work is an analysis of financial assets invested in collective investment in the Czech Republic. The contribution of this work is to provide a comprehensive view of the assets placed in collective investment schemes.

This dissertation uses national policy experiments and original datasets from Japan to explore issues in macroeconomics and public finance. In the first chapter, I provide new evidence of the feedback loop between corporate borrowing and commercial real estate investment emphasized in macro-finance models with collateral constraints. Japan enacted a series of reforms in the early 1980s which relaxed national regulatory constraints on the height and size of buildings. Combining local non-residential land price indices for over 400 localities with geocoded firm balance sheets, I show that these land use deregulations generated a boom-bust cycle in corporate real estate values, borrowing, and real estate investment. Firms located in more ex ante land use constrained areas both issued more debt and invested more heavily in real estate, thus amplifying the initial positive shock to commercial real estate prices. I develop a multi-city spatial sorting model with production externalities and real estate collateral which uses the estimated reduced form effects of my local regulatory instruments on firm outcomes to assess aggregate effects of the reform. I find that the deregulatory shock to commercial real estate markets and corporate borrowing environment amplified the 1980s real estate cycle and led to an increased incidence of zombie lending in the 1990s. Governments often distribute payments through the income tax system to combat recessions. But how effective are such fiscal stimulus policies at targeting households who are likely to respond by increasing their spending? In the second chapter, we link geocoded household expenditure and financial transactions data to local housing price indices and document a U-shaped pattern with respect to housing price growth in the marginal propensity to consume (MPC) out of a large tax rebate. Recipients living in areas with the smallest housing price gains during the 1980s spent 44% of the 1994 Japanese rebate within three months of payment, compared to 23% among recipients in areas which experienced the largest housing price gains. While we find limited heterogeneity in MPCs among households in less-affected areas, MPCs are higher for younger, renter households with no debt residing in more-affected areas. These findings are consistent with near-rational households for which the pricing shock was small relative to permanent income spending a larger fraction of the tax rebate. Our analysis suggests fiscal stimulus payments primarily induce spending among “winner” households who face minimal exposure to housing price cycles. The question of how policymakers should choose the frequency of payments has received little attention in the literature on the optimal design of public benefits programs. The third chapter proposes a simple model in which the government chooses the length of the interval between payments, subject to a tradeoff between the administrative cost of providing more frequent benefits and the welfare gain from reducing deviations from full consumption smoothing. In our empirical application, we examine consumer and retailer responses to bimonthly payments from the Japanese National Pension System. We exploit variation in the duration of payment cycles using a unique retail dataset that links consumers to their purchase history. Our high frequency difference-in-differences approach shows a clear spike in spending on payment dates for customers who are of retirement age relative to those who are not. While within-store average prices increase by 1.6% on payday, this effect is almost entirely due to consumers substituting towards higher quality goods rather than a retailer response. We use these reduced form estimates to parameterize the model and conclude that the optimal frequency of Japanese public pension payments is less than one month, implying the government could improve welfare by increasing payment frequency.