This dissertation aims to explore how an investment appraisal differs depending on if it is conducted by a municipal or a private real estate company. Municipal and private real estate companies are not performing on totally equal terms in the property market. A municipal company in Sweden has a public service mission. The consequence due to that mission is that they have limited yield potential but on the other hand the right to certain subsidies. They are also limited by the law of public purchasing (in Swedish: Lag om offentlig upphandling) in the investment process.

The Profession of Real Estate Agents has by tradition been a male profession. However during later years the profession has changed. It is now many young women that are pursuing a career as a Real Estate Agent.In the light of this background we have researched how Real Estate Agents employed by Fastighetsbyrån and Svensk Fastighetsförmedling perceive their profession from an equality perspective.The investigation has been limited to include the counties of Värmland and Närke and have been conducted by interviewing Real Estate Agents of different age and sex and the managers of the firms.The study show that the Real Estate Agents perceive their profession in a positive way and that the work is divided equal. However it emerged that there were a division regarding different real estate types in certain agencies. The Real Estate Agents believe that the gender of the manager is of no importance.

Background: Within real estate companies assets according to IFRS/ IAS 40 should be valued at fair value, to compare with previous valuation criteria according to which real estate should valued at cost. Two models can be used within IAS 40, these are value at cost and fair value. When valued at cost the real estate value in the balance sheet should be specified at cost. The method chosen by the company should be used for all real estate within the company except for the premises used by the company. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyse and evaluate how real estate companies experienced the problems that arose when converting to IAS 40, and to analyse the effects on the companies key ratios as a result of the change of accounting method.

Real estate managers work in a hard branch with big competition and skeptical customers. For most people, buying a property is the biggest private purchase of their lives. This puts a big pressure on the real estate agent to make the process run smooth. But how does the customer know which real estate manager to choose? We have researched what effect the real estate managers clothing has on the customers? first impression and how clothing affects customers? choice of real estate agents.To answer our questions we´ve done 13 projective interviews with ten customers and three real estate agents, where we showed four pictures with the same person dressed in different styles.

The study describes the problems with analysis of real estate companies after the introduction of IFRS. With the introduction of IFRS (2005) and specially IAS 40 the real estate companies get the ability to appreciate its real estates to real value. With the difference in the accounting, grows the question if it has become some differences for analysts with analysis and valuation of real estate companies. We also look into how well this new standard effect the real estate companies from the view of the accounting quality and its characteristics..

Municipal Real Estate Companies runs by a political boarder who makes decisions in large investments. In some cases the municipal counter have to take the decisions about big and expensive investments. A successful investment needs to be built on solid ground.Media has lately focused on energy topics as a part of the environmental discussion and the real estate companies tries to use the new technology that the market has provided. Energy investments in new buildings are not longer a small part of the energy saving program. Long-term investment demands needs large knowledge and awareness about the energy topics that have recently grown in the municipal real estate companies.

Real estate managers work in a hard branch with big competition and skeptical customers. For most people, buying a property is the biggest private purchase of their lives. This puts a big pressure on the real estate agent to make the process run smooth. But how does the customer know which real estate manager to choose? We have researched what effect the real estate managers clothing has on the customers? first impression and how clothing affects customers? choice of real estate agents.To answer our questions we´ve done 13 projective interviews with ten customers and three real estate agents, where we showed four pictures with the same person dressed in different styles.

Purpose:The background to this study is an upcoming sale of a property. Owner of the property is currently city of Gävle and tenant is Jan Ekroth who runs the hostel Gamla Gefle in the buildings belonging to the property. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Gamla Gefle AB has the financial ability to acquire the property and if it can be defended in a commercial plane.Method:In this study a qualitative method has been used, in which empirical data has been gathered from interviews and financial data taken from annual reports. These empirical data have been put against our theoretical framework and led to our analysis. In the analysis, cash flows and discounted future values have been calculated to determine the outcome of the investment.Results & conclusion:The study reaches the conclusion that the hostel Gamla Gefle should complete its acquisition of the property, in spite of an decrease of the annual cash flow.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the status of Swedish real estate companies in terms of financial health and risk of financial distress. The background is the ongoing financial crisis, which partly can be derived from the American real estate sector. Publicly available accounting information from 16 listed real estate companies has been analyzed for a period of one year using financial ratios covering both the operational and financial activities. We find that the deceleration in the economy and in the real estate sector have forced the real estate companies to make large write downs, in line with the relatively new accounting rules, IFRS. Write downs are likely to reoccur during the following periods and real estate companies will therefore probably be forced to continue to show negative results.

The purpose of this thesis was to investigate how the distance between real estate manager and the managed item influenced the real estate management process. The overall real estate management within Lantmännen Fastigheter AB was investigated to give suggestions on how to improve the quality of the real estate management within the company. To do this, questionnaires, interviews and observations was performed within the Lantmännen Fastigheter AB organization. Real estate managers answered questions about their role as real estate manager, maintenance planning, decision processes, leasing and strategies within the company.The analysis of the questionnaires, interviews and observations showed that the real estate managers wants to rearrange their spent working hours around on working tasks to spend more time on the tasks that brings income and spend less time on tasks that are unsatisfying and unnecessary. The analysis also shows in which areas the real estate managers want more support and education and that they mostly work with unplanned maintenance.

Computers and business systems are used more frequently in a world where IT gradually is taking over. This is also true when it comes to the real estate valuation process where actors on the Swedish real estate market are using automatic valuation systems for real estate appraisal. But the real estate agents have not yet seen the charm in using these automatic valuation systems for real estate appraisal. Can the real estate agents also use the automatic valuation systems? We developed our three main subjects: the valuation process, an automatic valuation system and the real estate market with assistance from scientific articles.

This thesis aims to examine problems that occur when determining the fair value of investment properties. It also takes into consideration the reliability and relevance of the reported fair values on behalf of the key stakeholders. The study has been conducted by interviewing representatives at real estate and external valuation companies. The study shows that there is a need for assessments in the valuation process and that real estate companies have room for their own interpretations. The conclusion is that determining fair value is an estimate, not a fact.

This thesis aims to investigate the information effects of fair value accounting in Nordic real estate companies. As a consequence of the mandatory IFRS adoption in the European Union in 2005, listed Nordic companies are allowed to recognize investment property at fair value in accordance with IAS 40. Theory suggests that fair value accounting should lower information asymmetry. Therefore, this study aims to examine correlation between fair value accounting of investment property and information asymmetry on the stock market. To investigate this, we use bid-ask spread as a proxy for information asymmetry and examine Nordic real estate companies before and after the implementation of IFRS.

ABSTRACTTitle:Estate agent is a trusted profession - a study of how real estate broker working on Codes of ConductLevel:Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business AdministrationAuthor:Mikaela KarlssonSupervisor:Agneta SundströmDate:2012 ? JuneAim:There is a lack of confidence in the branch of real estate which makes me wonder: How do the bransch of real estate work with Code of Conduct to strengthen their confidence? The aim is to describe and analyze how the branch of real estate works with confidence and codes of conduct.Method:I have an qualitative approach in which interviews have been used to collect data and literature studies to collect theoretical information. The collected material have been analyzed from a hermeneutical perspective.Result & Conclusions:To some extent the real estate branch works with the establishment of Codes of Conduct to strengthen the confidence. This is shown by increased transparency to increase customers commitment in the bidding. As confidence has been risen for the part of the process this indicate that Codes Of Conduct has the ability to strengthen the confidence for the real estate as a branch.Suggestions for future research:One topic that is interesting to study is how the real estate brokerage companies could controll their stakeholders to follow the company´s guidelines for social responsibility.Contribution of the thesis:The thesis gives people involved in real estate branch suggestions on how a trust could be built up by working with Codes of Conduct.Key words:Corporate Social Responsibility, Code of Conduct, confidence, real estate broker, the bransch of real estate..

ABSTRACTTitle:Estate agent is a trusted profession - a study of how real estate broker working on Codes of ConductLevel:Final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business AdministrationAuthor:Mikaela KarlssonSupervisor:Agneta SundströmDate:2012 ? JuneAim:There is a lack of confidence in the branch of real estate which makes me wonder: How do the bransch of real estate work with Code of Conduct to strengthen their confidence? The aim is to describe and analyze how the branch of real estate works with confidence and codes of conduct.Method:I have an qualitative approach in which interviews have been used to collect data and literature studies to collect theoretical information. The collected material have been analyzed from a hermeneutical perspective.Result & Conclusions:To some extent the real estate branch works with the establishment of Codes of Conduct to strengthen the confidence. This is shown by increased transparency to increase customers commitment in the bidding. As confidence has been risen for the part of the process this indicate that Codes Of Conduct has the ability to strengthen the confidence for the real estate as a branch.Suggestions for future research:One topic that is interesting to study is how the real estate brokerage companies could controll their stakeholders to follow the company´s guidelines for social responsibility.Contribution of the thesis:The thesis gives people involved in real estate branch suggestions on how a trust could be built up by working with Codes of Conduct.Key words:Corporate Social Responsibility, Code of Conduct, confidence, real estate broker, the bransch of real estate..