Undergraduate Real Estate 2023-2024

This foundation course in finance, risk and investment is the requisite for several degree programmes and for level 2 real estate and finance courses. The module considers the nature and operation of investment markets, focusing on three asset classes; shares, bonds and real estate. It looks at the characteristics of these investment options in terms of their risks and returns. The module introduces basic financial mathematics: time value of money, calculation of present values and investment rates of return. Finally, it considers the role of financial institutions and regulatory bodies in personal finance, where consumers and financial markets interact.

This course introduces students to the world of the built environment, professional surveying practice and the construction industry. The first section of the course discusses the different types and characteristics of property in the UK and the different legal interests that can exist in property, why people invest in property and why and how property is developed; the second section focuses on the design and construction of buildings, the identification of defects as well their impact on the environment and relevant sustainability issues.

The course will facilitate greater understanding of real estate and land markets and of the linkages between supply, demand and price. It will provide explanations of market behaviour and discuss activity patterns and outcomes with reference to specific property markets. Students will gain an understanding of the institutions that govern land use and real estate transactions and will develop skills to identify and interpret property market data in order to analyze market sectors and property types. Students will also make critical economic assessments of land use and planning policy and the methods of policy delivery.

This course considers the different legal relationships which can exist in Scotland with regard to rights in land and to outline the implications of these relationships.

This course is intended to enable participants:

• To understand the place of land tenure in society.
• To explain the concept of ownership and its implications in Scotland.
• To describe the principal forms of subordinate right that can be carved out of land ownership in Scotland.
• To identify and explain the principal restrictions on land ownership in Scotland, including planning law and land reform

This course aims to provide students with an understanding of statistical concepts and methods relevant to accounting, management, finance, real estate and economics. The course is intended to enable students

i) To understand the principles of descriptive statistics, index construction, statistical inference, correlation, regression and time series analysis

ii) To apply statistical techniques to the analysis of accounting, business and economic issues and interpret findings

iii) To identify important sources of data in accounting, business and economics

This course deals with the detail of why property requires to be valued and how the valuation process operates in the UK by way of the implementation of the RICS “Red Book”. The five property valuation methods are discussed via a series of lectures supplemented by tutorials/workshops in which valuation problem-solving tasks are discussed, with a focus on the investment method and the critique of traditional approaches.  Practical valuation exercises are undertaken, which include the inspection and measurement of property and the analysis of comparable evidence.

This course applies the principles of valuation taught at level 2 to more complex real world examples. Topics covered include rent reviews, compulsory purchase, property investment, property development and national and local taxation.  Numeracy and analytical skills are further developed along with expertise in the use of Excel.  In addition, the course also covers professional surveying practice, including ethics, and stimulates students to consider their career path by requiring students to prepare a CV and prepare for a mock interview.

The course covers two key aspects of real estate, namely development and international investment.  While development is an intrinsically local activity, the drivers of demand to occupy and invest in real estate are increasingly global.  Thus, the course first deals with the process of development and then provides the context of globalisation of economies and real estate markets, which underlies the demand for real estate occupation and investment.  The course involves a UK field trip.

The dissertation can be a rewarding, interesting and challenging exercise, with a process that differs from taught courses. With self-directed study, you are introduced to the process of independent research starting with finding a topic that is both academically interesting and can be covered in the given time frame. In addition to utilising skills acquired during previous years of study, it is an opportunity to develop new skills useful for future employment, such as writing reports.  Your dissertation will be judged on evidence of competence in independent research. The greater the degree of competence, the higher the mark awarded.

The course introduces students to concepts of portfolio management and recent developments regarding real estate investment vehicles. The course takes a financial economics viewpoint and places real estate investments within this context. The course covers such important aspects as securitization of initially illiquid real estate assets, the management of building portfolios and the use of index swap contracts for risk management purposes. The course discusses also real option theory and applies it to land development and the pricing of lease contracts.

The dissertation can be a rewarding, interesting and challenging exercise, with a process that differs from taught courses. With self-directed study, you are introduced to the process of independent research starting with finding a topic that is both academically interesting and can be covered in the given time frame. In addition to utilising skills acquired during previous years of study, it is an opportunity to develop new skills useful for future employment, such as writing reports.  Your dissertation will be judged on evidence of competence in independent research. The greater the degree of competence, the higher the mark awarded.

Housing is a necessity and of interest to economists, policymakers, and investors alike. In this course, students will gain an understanding of the micro and macro-economic dimensions of housing markets. The course will also discuss the many different ways in which governments intervene in housing markets, such as land use regulation, rental law, and social housing support. The positive and normative aspects of these interventions will be discussed. The course has a comparative perspective throughout and discusses housing markets, regulation, and outcomes at hand of the UK, the US and Germany.