An empirical study on the neighbourhood effect of refurbishment

Abstract

An important portion of property value comes from property location, which is a function of the quality of surrounding environment (e.g. external views). In a congested living environment like Hong Kong, it is difficult, if not impossible, to have a view unobstructed by buildings. As such, the quality of views is dependent upon the aesthetic quality of surrounding buildings. It is likely that poorly maintained buildings will emit negative visual effects to their immediate neighbourhood. Refurbishing these poor buildings should, therefore, reduce or even counter this negative externality. This study aims to empirically identify the effect of refurbishment on the prices of neighbourhood properties based on an analysis of panel data in Hong Kong. The data consists of property transactions in a large housing estate located in Pokfulam. This estate was chosen because its surrounding buildings underwent refurbishment in 1998. Results show that the refurbishment brought a significant increase in the price of properties facing the refurbished buildings, keeping other things constant. Given the aging building problem in most urban areas, the results pose significant practical implications on building refurbishment and urban rehabilitation as a whole. Developers or property owners may be lured to invest in the refurbishment of adjacent dilapidated properties with a view to a value enhancement of their own properties.