Empirical effects of the designation of milieu protection areas on the residential property market in Berlin

ABSTRACT Milieu protection areas (MPAs) are a frequently used urban policy regulation method in large German cities such as Berlin or Munich. MPAs protect residents from displacement by restricting property rights in designated zones through limitations on modernisation and the conversion of rental apartments into condominiums. Policymakers expect this to have a price-dampening effect and slow gentrification while also anticipating corresponding effects on property markets. This study investigates the long-term empirical effects of these restrictions on the Berlin residential property market and examines how milieu protection affected the purchase prices and transactions of condominiums within Berlin’s MPAs and their surroundings. We relate transaction data from 1991 to 2019 with other neighbourhood characteristics, regress prices, and the number of transactions using geographic information systems and regression difference-in-differences models in different spatial submarkets both inside and outside of the MPAs. Results indicate that milieu protection reduces transaction activity in property markets and regulation has been ineffective in curbing price increases. Meanwhile, limitations on the conversion of former rental flats have led to lower price increases compared to the surrounding areas. This study contributes to the understanding of regulation as a potential determinant of supply and price effects in the property market.