The Dynamics of Real Estate Prices

Abstract

Several studies of housing price trends recommend combining statistical analysis to repeat sales of residential properties. Recently, price indices derived from these techniques have formed the basis for inferences about the "efficiency" of housing markets. This paper presents an improved methodology which combines inflation on repeat sales of unchanged properties, on repeat sales of improved properties, and on single sales, all in one joint estimation. Empirical evidence, based upon a rich sample of transactions on single family houses in a single neighborhood, indicates the clear advantages of the proposed methodology, at least in one typical application. Copyright 1991 by MIT Press.