Residential property prices

The residential property price statistics comprise two data sets: the detailed and the selected.

The detailed residential property prices (RPP) data set contains regional and property type breakdowns for around 60 economies. The selected residential property prices (SPP) data set is designed to enhance cross-country comparability, and hence shows for each jurisdiction a single indicator that is closest to nationwide coverage. In most cases, this selected series covers all types of new and existing dwelling.

Selected residential property prices

The selected residential property prices data set shows the most representative property price indicator for each country. For most economies, this series refers to the whole country and covers the entire market: all property types, both new and existing vintages. The selected residential property prices data set is derived from the detailed data set. The BIS publishes four measures for each indicator: price indices and year-on-year growth rates, in nominal and real (CPI-deflated) terms. An analysis based on these selected indicators is released quarterly. The data set covers around 60 countries. For 23 countries, data are backdated with historical series to around 1970. In several countries, the compilation of the residential property price indicator follows the recommendations of the Handbook on residential property prices, an internationally agreed framework for classifying property price issues.

Detailed residential property prices

The detailed residential property prices data set consists of more than 300 series from around 60 countries collected from national central banks. These data series differ significantly from country to country, varying in frequency, type of property and vintage, covered area, priced unit, compilation method or seasonal adjustment. The specificities of each country’s residential property markets and the absence of binding international standards for property price statistics could explain this variability. Beyond national-level indicators, for most countries the data set contains some subnational data. Subnational data in most cases show price developments in the capital or biggest city.