Edinburgh Napier University

  The existence of cycles in the general business sector, as well as in building and property has grown to have significant importance in the UK, whereas the UK property market has been characterised by boom and bust cycles with a negative impact on the overall British economy. As a result, property cycles became a popular research topic amongst property professionals and scholars, with a greater understanding of the cyclical behaviour of the property market being seen as a major guide to the financial success (or failure) of property investments. Consequently, considerable literature has accumulated over the years on the subject. This paper provides a review of this literature with an annotated bibliography. The literature reviewed was mostly written in the UK and US, and includes contributions from both academics and professionals. This paper reviews research on the subject chronologically over one hundred year period. The particular emphasis is on the research methods, data and data analysis techniques employed, and the outcomes of the studies. The objectives are to provide a guide to the literature on property cycles, put more clarity on the subject as well as help to navigate anyone interested on property cycles throughout a considerable amount of research.