Human emotion recognition in the significance assessment of property attributes

One of the largest problems in the real estate market analysis, which includes valuation, is determining the significance of individual property attributes that may affect value or attractiveness perception. The study attempts to assess the significance of selected attributes of real estate based on the detection and analysis of the emotions of potential investors. Human facial expression is a carrier of information that can be recorded and interpreted effectively via the use of artificial intelligence methods, machine learning and computer vision. The development of a reliable algorithm requires, in this case, the identification and investigation of factors that may affect the final solution of the problem, from behavioural aspects through technological possibilities. In the presented experiment, an approach that correlates the emotional states of buyers with the visualization of selected attributes of properties is utilized. The objective of this study is to develop an original method for assessing the significance of property attributes based on emotion recognition technology as an alternative to the commonly used methods in the real estate analysis and valuation, which are usually based on surveys. The empirical analysis enabled determination of the mainstream property attributes significance from evoked emotions intensity within the group of property clients (represented by 156 respondents). The significance ranking determined on the basis of the unconscious expressed facial emotions was verified and compared to the answers given in a form of questionnaire. The results have shown that the conscious declaration of the attribute ranking differs from the emotion detection conclusions in several cases.