Abstract

Mehmet Topçu

There has always been a demand for real estate with the aim of accommodation and/or making investments. The real estate is also vital for a country’s economy as urban land value is determinative in both urban planning and real estate activities in economies of today’s world. Knowing the factors affecting the land values is an important advantage in identifying the future of urban development and anticipating probable changes. This study aims to discuss these values from housing perspective. There are many factors affecting housing land values. Among all, this study examined the accessibility factor related to housing land values. The study aims to discuss which accessibility factor affects mostly and to propose an original methodology with reference to Istanbul, a world metropolis. This study has been conducted using GIS database, statistical methods as well as space syntax method. The spatial configuration is examined based on two different integration parameters; local and global, used in space syntax approach. In the scope of this study, there are 18 different variables that are analyzed in 403 streets in Istanbul. The data collected is entered in GIS and statistical analyses have been conducted. Based on the analysis, the distances from the sea are the most related parameter affecting housing land values. The others are the distance from the central business district, spatial integration values, universities and sanitary facilities are effective factors in determining housing land values respectively. The other 13 parameters affect the results with low level. This study is important as it offers a possibility of integrating different approaches including space syntax, which examines factors affecting the housing land values. This study with its original methodology proposed is expected to contribute the further studies in city planning, urban design and real estate.