PROPERTY 261 : Property Economics

Business and Economics

2023 Semester Two (1235) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

The supply and demand characteristics of urban developments have impacts on not only the price and availability of property, but on how we live and work. An understanding of development economics, urban policy, and land-use economics will provide students with knowledge of how the decisions of property professionals, policy makers, occupiers shape the built environment.

Course Overview

This course introduces the theoretical and practical functioning of urban property markets using property and urban economics concepts. The first half of the course will introduce students to relevant economic indicators, analytical frameworks and techniques to describe, analyse, explain and predict patterns of property prices, property construction, and property consumption. In the second half of this course, students will learn concepts and principles in urban economics that lead to city development. By the end of the course, students will acquire skills in applying conceptual tools for analysing property market dynamics and critically evaluating the role of government and public policy in urban property markets. The course is designed for students that have elementary literacy in microeconomics (i.e., supply/demand curves) and a cursory knowledge of the macroeconomy (i.e., indicators like GDP used to describe economies). This course favours diagrammatic/conceptual models and historical experience over mathematical/statistical models. Assessment in this course involves a written academic essay to demonstrate critical thinking, economic literacy and written communication skills.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 15 points from BUSNESS 115, ECON 101, 151, 152, 191, PROPERTY 102

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Property

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply property and urban economic reasoning to analyse and understand the forces that determine property prices and how the trend changes over time. (Capability 1 and 2)
  2. Apply essential conventions of academic writing to communicate property market and policy analysis in academic writing using APA guidelines. (Capability 4.2)
  3. Evaluate economic theory in a wide range of spatial and property market contexts. (Capability 2)
  4. Solve the problems and prioritise opportunities, risks and threats arising from changes in market dynamics in the residential, industrial, and retail sectors. (Capability 2)
  5. Evaluate the obligations of government in providing equitable access to housing and spatial changes shaping sustainable property markets. (Capability 2 and 6)
  6. Critically evaluate local property market dynamics using a wide range of property economic analytical tools and provide an informed decision for policy making. (Capability 2 and 3)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Engagement activities 16% Individual Coursework
Coursework - Essay 18% Individual Coursework
Midterm Test 16% Individual Test
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Engagement activities
Coursework - Essay
Midterm Test
Final Exam
Pass requirements

In order to pass this course, you MUST obtain at least 50% of the total marks awarded for the course. In addition, a minimum mark of 45% in the final examination is also expected.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 2-4 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials/quizzes to complete/receive credit for components of the course. Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including guest lectures/seminars may not be available as recordings, subject to the preference of the guest speakers. The course will not include live online events including group discussions/tutorials. Attendance on campus is required for the test and exam. The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Suggested reading:
- Pirounakis, N. G. (2013). Real Estate Economics: A point-to-point handbook. Routledge. (Ebook is
available from the University Library)
- Brueckner, J. K. (2011). Lectures on urban economics. MIT Press. (Ebook is available from the
University Library)
- O'Sullivan, A. (2009). Urban economics. McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
(Hardcopy is available from the University Library)

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Teachers in the next offering will consider spending more lecture time going through the essay assignment. Any relevant changes will also be shown in the course outline and announced in class at the beginning of the semester in the next offering.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Published on 03/11/2022 02:27 p.m.