SYNOPSIS

Geograpahic information system (GIS) is part of the study of real estate as a larger discipline. It deals with some specific aspects of the use of information technology in real estate analyses, particularly the use of computer for information management to facilitate better decision-making, which can potentially influence the property business.

There are so many elements of the real estate analyses that are involved in real estate decision-making pertaining to property development, appraisal or valuation, real estate marketing, property management, and real estate investment. These elements are so complex and need an integrated analysis tool that can simultaneously deal with spatial and non-spatial elements. GIS is the appropriate tool can fulfill this function.

The knowledge gained from this course should be able to be applied to the property market especially on how information system is used to help decision-making pertaining to certain real estate problems.  In this context, students are required to submit compulsory assignments whereby they will be provided with the background of some selected problems and work out the solutions individually or in group.

It is hoped that this course will be able to broaden students' knowledge in the real estate information system. I am more than happy to share ideas with you to improve the content of this course.

Objectives

This subject has the following objectives:

▪  To provide a subject curriculum that can give students the basic understanding of some fundamental 

   aspects of Geographic Information System (GIS) and its application in real estate.

▪  To provide teaching and learning process that enables development of skills and technical

   competence in the use of GIS for real estate problem-solving critically, logically, creatively and

   analytically based on sound facts and ideas.

▪  To develop student's communication skills in imparting knowledge and information among peers

    with respect to the use of GIS as a decision-making tool in real estate analysis.

▪  To instil responsibility and accountability among students with respect to their duties through

    lectures and coursework activities.

 Subject Learning Outcomes

Mapping of Subject Learning Outcomes

Key: Technical Skills: a = major contribution to outcome;   b = moderate contribution to outcome;  c = minor contribution to outcome. Generic Skills:   1 =  Substantial (with assessment);   2 = not substantial (introduce);  - = not relevant

Assessment of Subject's Learning Outcomes

The assessment of this subject comprises final examination, test, tutorial activities, and student's presentation.

The long assignment should be developed from a selected topic of your own.  Student can choose various GIS applications in real estate such as database development, data integration, and spatial analyses. The topic you choose should have a focus indicating what you want to address, why, and how. The problem must be addressed using empirical evidence, which means, collection and analysis of real world data. Students may be required to give a presentation of their assignments towards the end of the semester.

Examples of GIS application in real estate:

1.  Combining JPPH's property and sales information with parcel's cadastral information

2.  Creating GIS-based information of location plan and site plan for a particular property development

     project

3.  Using GIS to analyse site suitability of a particular property project

Students are expected to consult the lecturer before commencing their tasks. This is to ensure that they clearly understand the nature of the selected problem, the method of investigation including the data to use, and the method of analysis. At the end of the analysis, students are expected to derive relevant conclusions of their studies. An offer for solutions to the problem being investigated will be an advantage in terms of marks. Submission bearing the essential features of a technical report is compulsory, BUT...BEWARE, the assignment is not a thesis and, therefore, no student should submit a bulky report and feels being burdened with another final year thesis!

The long assignment MUST BE submitted one week before the final examination. A penalty system is used to mark late submission. No submission will be accepted after the final day of examination week. The short assignment MUST BE submitted during the first week of the second part of semester break. A two-or three-day late submission after the last day of that week is accepted.  However, again a penalty system is used to mark submission later than that.

The final examination will be a two-part paper. Part A contains multi-structured questions and students are required to answer ALL 20 questions in no more than 40 minutes. Part B contains calculation-based and short essay questions. From this part, students are required to attempt FOUR out of normally eight questions. Each question in this part is allocated 20 minutes.

LECTURE PLAN

 references

Wyatt, P. and Ralphs, M. (2003).  GIS in Land and Property Management. London & New York: Spon Press.

Anon (1999).  GIS Guidelines for Assessors, 2nd. ed. Chicago: URISA and IAAO.

ESRI (2005). ArcInfo User's Guide. Redlands: Californina. ESRI Publication.