Determining Land Values by Location: Supporting Public Valuation Expert Committees in the Provision of Market Transparency

Market participants need a variety of relevant market data for purchases and sales decisions. The higher the degree of information is, the more market transparency exists. Land value is one of the most important indicators and is often used to represent the location. Based on the knowledge of public valuation expert committees, information for determining land values is highly dependent on purchasing price data in Germany. Nevertheless, project developers are aware of the fact that land values represent only part of the location. Hence, land values are also affected by further representative characteristics, which reflect location within a territory. Different criteria like economic situation or social conditions are the focus of consideration. However, great difficulties are caused by the complexity of the available data. Furthermore, not all valuation experts use the same methods of calculation and weighting. A consistent method of determining land values nationwide for all locations improves market transparency. Providing a comprehensive decision-making basis for all market participants and the public sector enables the optimal management of spatial developments. The practical implication of the concept is illustrated using the case of Germany.