Inom fastighetsbranschen har det inte funnits något eget system för att kvalitetscertifiera enskilda fastigheter. Det ville några engagerade privata fastighetsägare i Malmö och Kristianstad ändra på med hjälp av Fastighetsägarna Syd i samarbete med Hyresgästföreningen och Malmö stad. Resultatet blev ett lokalt pilotprojekt där Ca 20 fastighetsägare prövade att kvalitetscertifiera hyresfastigheter. Totalt certifierades 57 fastigheter inom ramen för pilotprojektet, 2008-2013. Certifieringen byggde på att en kvalitetsstämpel tilldelades fastigheter som motsvarade certifieringskraven och därmed kunde redovisa att lagkrav och myndigheters rekommendationer följdes med mera. Studiens empiriska underlag bygger i huvudsak på enkätsvar från 165 fastighetsägare och intervjuer med 10 fastighetsägare. Författaren har under arbetets gång även haft kontakt med representanter från Malmö stad, Hyresgästföreningen och Fastighetsägarna Syd samt bank och försäkringsbolag. Studien innehåller teorier inom skilda kunskapsfält som syftat till en ökad förståelse för certifieringsmodellens innehåll i relation till fastighetsmarknadens funktion, prissättning- och värderingsmekanismer samt fastighetens lokala betydelse. Studiens resultat visar att pilotprojektet att kvalitetscertifiera bostadsfastigheter kan underlätta för aktörer på hyresmarknaden att i sin värdering kunna urskilja ansvarsfullt skötta fastigheter. Certifieringen av en fastighet kan fungera som ett kvitto på att fastigheten förvaltas ansvarsfullt och också medföra ekonomiska fördelar för fastighetsägaren på lång sikt. Det förbättrade informationsläget som certifieringen ger kan minska risken för investerare att satsa resurser i fastigheten, genom att kapitalet säkras och efterfrågan på fastighetens uthyrningsbara ytor ökar i jämförelse med fastigheter som inte är certifierade. Resultatet av pilotprojektet efter testperioden resulterade inte i någon vedertaget tillämpad modell. En viktig orsak till det var att de lokala hyresgästföreningarna i Malmö och Kristianstad och Fastighetsägarna Syd inte kunde komma överens om certifieringens hyresincitament. Brister i kontrollorganisationens uppbyggnad, avsaknad av ackreditering från SWEDAC och lågt intresse bland fastighetsägarna att betala för att ansluta sig till certifieringen bidrog också till att modellen till slut övergavs. Ett lågt utbud av bostäder gör att det ofta finns få eller inga alternativ för bostadssökande. Av den anledningen kan kvalitetsaspekter få en mindre avgörande roll då bostadssökande väljer sin bostad. På en välfungerande lokal bostadsmarknad där det finns alternativ för bostadssökande kan sannolikt certifieringsmodellen få en betydligt större betydelse för bostadssökande, vilket kan motivera fler fastighetsägare att använda sig av en certifieringsmodell för att undvika vakanser. Till sist bör det påpekas att om lokala myndigheters kontroll av fastighetsägare på orten fungerar effektivt och tillämpad hyressättningsmodell innebär tillräckliga incitament för fastighetsägarna att vinna på att agera ansvarsfullt, minskar det betydelsen av en kvalitetscertifieringsmodell.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the context of real estate management. Different operation cost indicators are identified and related to the estates’ social condition. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical material was collected from the company's accounts and by interviews with the staff and is based on a comparison between two similar areas that mainly differed in how much resources the company invested in social projects and maintenance. Findings – The results indicate that CSR leads to approximately 4.5 percent lower annual operating and maintenance costs, which improved the company's profitability, especially if higher maintenance standards made higher rents possible. Other advantages were improved goodwill, which led to new business opportunities. Research limitation/implications – The primary issue of the study is to identify consequences of CSR. However, more research is needed about landlord incentives and economic effects of initiated landlord investments. The evaluation method also needs to be further developed and refined. Originality/value – From a practical perspective, the paper gives a deeper insight into the possible economic advantages of CSR. From the perspective of the scientific community, the paper shows the possibilities in using a comparative evaluation model together with detailed company data in order to identify important indicators and effects.

The purpose of this study was to analyze effects of privatization of public housing in Sweden. Causes of privatization, impact on the housing market and social consequences are discussed. The study is based on a review of research literature concerning issues related to privatization of public housing. The results indicate that the proportion of publicly owned houses has been reduced in attractive areas. Some local communities were adversely affected. A minority sector of the population and a few private landlords have been favored. Situations that justify privatization exist, but landlords need improved incentives to be more responsible and provide better quality. More empirical studies are needed to increase knowledge about the long-term effects of privatization.

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to explore how knowledge contributes to value adding activities within real estate organisations. More specifically, the study aims to investigate; (1) how knowledge sharing activities are perceived in real estate organisations, (2) what motivates individuals to share knowledge and what incentives are used to support them, and (3) if employees in these organisations have experience of insufficient knowledge sharing activities resulting in additional project costs. Approach: The study includes a literature study and the findings from a questionnaire survey of 71 representatives of real estate organisations in Sweden are presented. Results: Knowledge sharing activities were perceived to be insufficient between different subunits in the organisation. Employees’ main motivation for learning was to achieve a good job for their customers. Rarely did any of the organisations use incentives to increase knowledge sharing activities. Almost every respondent acknowledged that a lack of knowledge and knowledge sharing resulted in additional project costs: a majority rated it as 10% of total project cost. Practical Implications: The contribution of the findings is an increased understanding of how employees in real estate organisations perceived knowledge sharing between organisational units. Sensible knowledge management can possibly facilitate the organisation’s ability to improve its profitability.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to try to explain how long-term mismanagement of a housing estate could arise in a country with a strong legal framework aimed at preventing such situations. Design/methodology/approach – Assuming that both tenants and landlords are rational, the paper presents a set of hypotheses that is consistent with the information available. Findings – It is argued that the tenants stayed even though the rent was higher and the quality was lower than in neighboring areas because of a combination of three factors: rents were paid by different forms of welfare payments; lack of alternatives because of queues to other areas; and because some tenants saw an advantage in the “no-question” asked policy that the slumlord followed. It is further argued that the property owner found this slum-strategy profitable either because he hoped to find a “bigger fool” to sell to and/or because the decision makers in the company had not invested their own money. Both tenants and investors were, in the end, losers, but not the company managers. Social implications – The Swedish legal framework is, to a large extent, based on the idea that tenants should take action when there are problems. For several reasons the tenants in the area did not do that and it indicates that a more active role for the local authorities is necessary. Originality/value – The paper focuses on an interesting case that most people thought could not occur and tries to explain this within a framework of rational actors.