How client attachment affects information verification in commercial valuation practice

Authors Pim Klamer, Vincent Gruis, Cok Bakker
Published in Journal of Property Investment & Finance
Publication date September 2019
Research groups Value-oriented Professionalisation
Type Article

Summary

Purpose – Information verification is an important factor in commercial valuation practice.Valuers use their professional autonomy to decide on the level of verification required, thereby creating an opportunity for client-related judgement bias in valuation. The purpose of this paper is to assess the manifestation of client attachment risks in information verification. Design/methodology/approach – A case-based questionnaire was used to retrieve data from 290 commercial valuation professionals in the Netherlands, providing a 15 per cent response rate of the Dutch commercial valuation population. Descriptive and inferential statistics have been used to test research hypotheses involving relations between information verification and professional features that may indicate client attachment such as an executive job level and brokerage experience. Findings – The results reveal that valuers acting at partner level within their organisation obtain lower scores on information verification compared to lower-ranked valuers. Also, brokerage experience correlates negatively to information verification of valuation professionals. Both findings have statistical significance. Research limitations/implications – The results reflect valuers’ reasoning behaviour rather than actual behaviour. Replication of findings through experimental design will contribute to research validity. Practical implications – Maintaining close client contact in a competitive environment is important for business continuity yet may foster client attachment.The associated downside risks in valuation practice call for higher awareness of (subconscious) client influence and the development of attitudinal scepticism in valuer training programmes. Originality/value – This paper is one of the few that explore possible sources of valuer judgement bias by relating client-friendly valuer features to a key area of valuation i.e. information verification.

On this publication contributed

  • Cok Bakker lector NP
    Cok Bakker
    • Professor
    • Research group: Value-oriented Professionalisation

Language English
Published in Journal of Property Investment & Finance
Year and volume 37 6
Key words judgement bias, job level, The Netherlands, commercial valuation practice
Digital Object Identifier 10.1108/JPIF-04-2019-0059
Page range 541-554

Pim Klamer