Probabilistic Valuation Models and Income Tax Asymmetries with an Application to the Analysis of Passive Loss Restrictions
David C. Ling ()
Additional contact information David C. Ling: Graduate School of Business Administration Department of Finance and Real Estate University of Florida Gainesville, Florida 32611, http://www.cba.ufl.edu/
Abstract:
This paper develops a modified version of the standard real estate discounted cash flow valuation model that allows the analyst to specify probability distributions, rather than point estimates, on general inflation and rental income for each year of the expected holding period. Explicit modeling of rental income uncertainty is especially critical in the presence of restrictions that cause the tax treatment of income-producing property to be asymmetric. This is demonstrated by an analysis of the restrictions on passive activity losses (PAL) that were introduced with the passage of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. The probability model results indicate that rational investors can pay significantly more for an income property as a result of the elimination of PAL restrictions than would be indicated by the results produced by a standard discounted cash flow "point estimate" model. This is due to the reduction in the skewness of the after-tax returns generated by the property when PAL restrictions are eliminated, and the decline in the required equity discount rate that results from the decreased variance of the after-tax returns.
Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from Diane Quarles American Real Estate Society Manager of Member Services Clemson University Box 341323 Clemson, SC 29634-1323 http://aux.zicklin.b ... u/jrer/about/get.htm
Journal of Real Estate Research is edited by Dr. Ko Wang
More articles in Journal of Real Estate Research from American Real Estate Society Address: American Real Estate Society Clemson University School of Business & Behavioral Science Department of Finance 401 Sirrine Hall Clemson, SC 29634-1323 Series data maintained by JRER Graduate Assistant/Webmaster ().