Do places of worship affect housing prices? Evidence from Germany

Sebastian Brandt (), Wolfgang Maennig and Felix Richter
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Sebastian Brandt: Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg

No 48, Working Papers from Chair for Economic Policy, University of Hamburg

Abstract: Using hedonic pricing models, this paper analyzes the impact of places of worship on the prices of adjacent condominiums in Hamburg, Germany. This is the first study on this subject to have been conducted outside the United States. It is also the first work to examine the externalities of places of worship of all five world religions. Furthermore, it is the first study that analyzes the effect of bell ringing on the adjacent residential property prices. Controlling for spatial dependence and by using potentiality variables positive externalities of places of worship within a radius of 1,000m were identified. Compared to properties beyond this threshold, price premiums of 4.8% were detected for condominiums at distances of 100m to 200m to the next place of worship. The results also show that the positive externalities near mosques do not differ from those of places of worship of other religions and that the positive effect of churches continues to be felt even after they have been deconsecrated. The influence of church bell ringing on the prices of surrounding residential properties, however, could not be substantiated.

Keywords: hedonic pricing; places of worship; external effects; residential property prices; Hamburg (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: R12 R21 R31 R34 Z12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 35 pages
Date: 2013-10-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

Published in Hamburg Contemporary Economic Discussions, Issue 48, 2013

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hce:wpaper:048

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