Valuations or Speculations? Challenges and Recommendations for Property Valuation in Lebanon

At a time when Lebanon's National Government has announced its intent to depart from the rentier economic model of the past decades, a good governance of land that encourages its productive and social uses is key. To this end, the Beirut Urban Lab advocates for direly needed reforms in the land valuation system and the adoption of a transparent, accountable, and standardized approach in land governance. 

In the report “Valuations or Speculations: Challenges and Solutions of Property Valuation in Lebanon”, the Beirut Urban Lab presents the findings of a joint project with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and The Policy Initiative. Conducted in Spring 2023, the study scrutinized the practices of land valuators in Beirut. The methodology engaged six professional valuators in an empirical exercise, and facilitated a dialogue between local stakeholders and international valuation experts. The research findings revealed disorganization within the valuation profession and a clear absence of guiding standards and principles. Consequently, there are significant inconsistencies that undermined the reliability of valuation processes, and they are exacerbated by private interests that influence valuation outcomes and by widely flawed land and property records. The report provides detailed insights into the research findings and concludes with key recommendations for addressing challenges in property valuation in Lebanon.