The predictability of house prices: “human against machine”

Abstract

We develop an automated valuation model (AVM) for the residential real estate market by leveraging stacked generalization and a comparable market analysis. Specifically, we combine four novel ensemble learning methods with a repeat sales method and tailor the data selection for each value estimate. We calibrate and evaluate the model for the residential real estate market in Oslo by producing out-of-sample estimates for the value of 1,979 dwellings sold in the first quarter of 2018. Our novel approach of using stacked generalization achieves a median absolute percentage error of 5.4%, and more than 96% of the dwellings are estimated within 20% of their actual sales price. A comparison of the valuation accuracy of our AVM to that of the local estate agents in Oslo generally demonstrates its viability as a valuation tool. However, in stable market phases, the machine falls short of human capability.