Study on the Characteristics and Driving Forces of Changes of the Urban Land-Use Structure in Wuhan in 1990s

On the basis of the information entropy and equilibrium degree of urban land-use spatial structure, the paper analyzes the characteristics and rules of urban land-use spatial structure changes in Wuhan in 1990s, in which the types of land-use are shrinking and urban land-use changes are disequilibria. With PCA and GRA employed, the driving forces have also been analyzed. The driving force of city welfare and social structure, the towing force of city industrial structure transition, and the pressing force of city construction and reconstruction are main momentum factors. Moreover, the latter forces are more significant.

The urban land use system in China

The obstacles to urban land development caused by Chinese immature land use system are explored. Key features of the dual land use system are analyzed on base of the constructing model of the dual land market in Chinese cities, in which market-based allocation including negotiation, tender and auction conveyance and non-market administrative allocation coexist. Some suggestions for solving the problems are brought forward after illustrating by facts problems existing in Chongqing抯 land market that the administratively allocated land is difficult to be collocated optimally and the black market is harmful to urban land development. In conclusion the land use system reformation is a complicated systems engineering involving interactions among various factors. Government to institute and execute corresponding policies is important to establish a uniform land market system.

Study on the roles and acting mechanism of the real estate brokerage in China second-hand housing market

As China housing reform deepens, the second-hand housing transactions become more and more popular and real estate brokerages, as an intermediary of the transactions, become an undeniable important part of this market. This article mainly explores the roles and the acting mechanism of real estate brokerages in the second-hand housing market. The results show that the participation of real estate brokers in the second-hand housing market may have positive and negative influences. On one side, brokers ease the housing transaction process and benefits buyers and sellers by shortening the sale time on the market. On the other side, if brokers are the only participants in the housing transaction, acting as buyer and seller like some firms do, housing prices will increase and this negative effect will become even stronger as the participation of many more brokers increases. Therefore, the regulation and management of the industry is vital for the long and healthy development of the housing market in China.

The Highest and Best Use of Agricultural Land in a Multifunctional Land Market, Evidence from South Africa

Agricultural land has conventionally been perceived primarily as a production factor. For this reason the highest and best use （HBU） of such land was considered to be agricultural production for income purposes. The transition towards a multifunctional agricultural land market, where alternative uses--such as for lifestyle purposes--is evident, has challenged this view. Lifestyle buyers of farms often focus on a variety of characteristics of agricultural land which are not necessarily related to income but usually more intangible and subjective, which pose a measurement problem for valuers. The continued use of familiar traditional farming characteristics when valuing agricultural properties where lifestyle motivations are present, and the exclusion of less measurable characteristics, means that the market sales comparison method cannot be executed accurately. This study used a mixed methods research strategy to determine whether valuers use characteristics mainly related to agricultural production as HBU in valuations of agricultural properties bought for lifestyle purposes, and to identify the value attributes of farms that attract lifestyle buyers （and whether these differ from production oriented buyers）. This was done in an intensive and extensive agricultural area within the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Results indicate that valuers use familiar production related characteristics when valuing farms bought for lifestyle purposes, while lifestyle and production oriented buyers also interpret the value attributes of agricultural properties differently. For this reason a multiple perspective approach to agricultural land valuations where the HBU is uncertain is proposed.

A Need to Innovate the Dutch Building Regulation

In 2008, two governmental committees presented their conclusions on strengthening the role of the private building sector in building control. In 2011, three new studies were commissioned by the government to address perceived problems. One of them was an integral study, executed by ERB （Foundation Expertcentre Regulations in Building）, RIGO （Research Institute for Real Estate） and TNO （Research Institute for Applied Technologies）, to innovate the whole building regulations system. It led to proposals to redefine responsibility and liability for all parties. This study states that by an effort of yearly ￡100 million, unnecessary costs up to ￡l billion can be avoided and a real quality push will take place in the building and real estate markets. The goals to reach are to minimize the administrative burden for the building owner and to enforce the construction industry to build conforming to the regulations. This paper discusses the ERB study and the given proposals. The ERB study demonstrated that a quality push is needed which potential will lead to less costs for building owners. It also shows that proven solutions, part of the regulations, might be of help for all parties involved.

Mass Valuation and the Implementation Necessity of GIS （Geographic Information System） in Albania

In the last decade, mass valuation system is applied in Albania in addition to individual valuation system for real estate valuation. This system is used for compiling the land value map and apartments value map. Due to the lack of experience in the compilation of these maps, the methodology of valuation is based on the experiences of other countries with similar development of real estate market. The mass assessment, which is applied in determining the values for specific purposes, such as expropriation, compensation and taxes for property transfer through the methodology adopted for this aim, is analyzed in the light of the finding of issues that accompany this application. The aim of this research is to highlight the problems to provide the ways of overcoming them in order to approximate the values of map values with market values. The mass appraisal process requires effective valuation models and proper management of resources. Its accuracy depends upon the extent and quality of property data available. Because of this reason, it is recommended the usage of the GIS （geographic information system）, an automated system for collection and processing of the data necessary for valuation, as the first point of integration between two process of valuation, individual and mass valuation.

Developments in the Romanian Real Estate： Where to？

The financial crisis has deeply affected Eastern European countries since the end of 2008. The global economic crisis put an end to a period when the region witnessed solid economic growth, high inflows of foreign investment and a dynamic real estate sector, which was one of the main drivers of the region＇s economic growth （Abelson, Kaemar, ＆ Jackofsky, 1990）. The Eastern European real estate market was deeply impacted by the crisis. Investment in real estate dropped sharply due to the significant increase in risks and difficulties in financial borrowing （Bruce, 1991）. Rising unemployment affected retail sales, as well as office net absorption. Take-up fell significantly in all markets： Transactions were of smaller size and demand for buildings decreased. On the supply side, vacancy increased sharply due to the high level of completions entering the market （Smith, 1992）. The strong rise in vacancy rates has put pressure on rents, which dropped sharply in 2008 and in early 2009. They started to stabilize only by the end of 2009. How will the Romanian real estate market evolve？ No one knows for certain. Through this work we try to get some predictions based on statistical theory and not on the lessons learned from other crises.