Influence of daylight on real estate housing prices. A multiple regression model application in Turin

Abstract

Daylight is crucial in architecture, influencing human health, well-being, energy efficiency, and the post-COVID-19 perception of residential spaces. People often consider daylight among the most important features when buying a home, which potentially affects real estate asset pricing. Within this framework, this study explored the impact of daylight on real estate asset pricing, particularly focusing on its role in the Italian market. The research employed two approaches: (i) simulations of 100 units to determine a large set of daylight metrics and (ii) a statistical approach, applying Hedonic Analysis principles to investigate how house attributes influence pricing. A data sample of 100 housing units was selected in Turin (Italy), including variables such as location, floor area, construction year, façade type, and daylight metrics. By using Multiple Regression Analysis, after Exploratory Analysis and outlier management, we identified significant variables influencing housing listing prices, such as energy class, conservation status, elevator presence, terraces/balconies, and frame type. Notably, two daylight metrics (annual sunlight exposure and useful daylight illuminance) were found to be significant, while others, like average daylight factor and spatial daylight autonomy, were not. The final model was validated by means of a control sample, demonstrating the relevance of daylight in real estate pricing. This research contributes to the literature, providing an in-depth exploration of the impact of daylight on hedonic analysis in a relatively underexplored research space. Precisely, the work contributes to bridging the literature gap about the detection of the influence of daylight on real estate market pricing processes by means of regression analysis.