Andrea Blake

AN EVALUATION OF HOW WELL UNDERGRADUATE PROPERTY STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR COMMENCING THEIR CAREERS

Abstract The evolution of property education to adapt to the changing business environment requires changes to course content, methods of delivery and assessment. Many universities have a special interest in understanding how successfully students transition in and transition out of property programs. This study sought the views of final year students engaged in professional employment, employer representatives and representatives from professional associations to assess the preparedness of students to commence professional employment. The study showed that generally students possessed an appropriate level of technical and ‚soft skills‛ to enter the professional realm with development required in some areas. All stakeholders agreed that the transition out of university was made more seamless through greater engagement with industry through field work and work experience from the intermediate stages of the property course.

Transport Noise and Residential Property Markets

With the increased need for transport options and the pressures for residential housing requirements, more residential property sectors are becoming subject to transport noise. Increasing road, railway and aircraft noise is affecting a greater number of residents in major cities and towns. Previous Hedonic Price Model studies have shown a link between transport noise and residential property prices but these studies are often contradicted by buyer and seller behavior in these markets. This paper will review a range of residential property research studies focusing on aircraft transport orientated noise and in the next stage of this research project will compare these studies to the anecdotal results from print and electronic media on the same issue. These results will show if there is a long term relationship between house prices in these locations and transport noise or if these negative value drivers are offset by other positive locational factors such as distance to employment, location to schools and services, and the location to recreational facilities.