| |
| |
|
Real Estate Information |
|
|
Tax Assessment/Appraisal: How Do I Know What My Home is Worth?
If you are in the home buying or selling market, it's important to understand the difference between tax assessment and appraisal value. Concentrate on the appraisal value because this determines your asking price. Understanding Tax Assessment The tax assessment is a tool local governments use to exact a property tax rate on residents. The local government determines your home's worth by reassessing the homes in the area you live in periodically. Some areas reassess every 2-3 years. But with today's booming real estate market, the National Association of Realtors estimates 60-70% of U.S. tax assessments do not reflect the escalating market value on home sales. This is why the tax assessment is not always an accurate gauge of true home worth. Tax assessment offers a general idea of home value. If you are curious about whether your tax assessment office is keeping up with the local market, telephone your local real estate board and local tax assessment office. Ask them about the local appreciation value on homes to determine if they are up-to-date. Focus on the Appraisal Value Home sellers should concentrate on the appraisal value, because a mortgage lender will write a loan on the home for this amount. Location is the prime factor in appraising a property. An appraiser will look at three homes that sold during the previous three-month period to determine what similar properties have sold for in the same neighborhood. If your home is in a rural area, or if the sales in your area have been sluggish, the appraiser can go within a five mile radius to locate similar homes for comparison. If there is home value inflation in the area, the appraiser will factor this in. A good appraiser will contact the realtor who sold the homes he or she is using as a comparison. What Do Appraisers Look For? An important rule of thumb of real estate is: location, location, location. Appraisers are mainly focused on the following to determine home worth:
Secondary Enhancements Help a Home Sell There are other bells and whistles the appraisers may factor in, but their impact on home value is marginal. Although these improvements do help the home sell, they do not impact the appraisal significantly. Here are some examples:
Sell Your Home Quickly Do not be mistaken -- upgrades are worthwhile because they will help sell your home quickly. For example, eye-catching landscaping will lure people in to look at the home, because 80% of homebuyers decide if they like a house when they first drive up to the property. When do I Need an Appraisal? Home sellers may want to pay for a professional appraisal so they know the true value of their home, but they are not required to have an appraisal. Your realtor will determine an asking price with you. To determine a fair and marketable price for your home, expect your realtor to research comparable home sales on Multiple Listing Services (MLS). Homebuyers are required by the lender to have an appraisal done and they must pay an average of $300-500 for it. Payment is due at the time of the appraisal. The buyer does not have the right to choose the appraiser -- the lender does this. Loan officers keep an approved list of appraisers on hand. Research on Home Value While conducting research on home value consider this: Is the neighborhood you live in completely built out, or are you competing with new homes still being built? If you are putting your home on the market and would like to conduct some of your own research, you can do one of three things. Visit the courthouse in your county and see what has sold in your area that is similar to your home. Call your local realtor and ask for a comparative market analysis. Or, visit open houses in your neighborhood which are similar to your own, to see what they are selling for. All of these activities are a good education for homeowners interested in learning the value of their home before placing it on the market or refinancing. About The Author Elaine VonCannon is a REALTOR with RE/Max Capital in Williamsburg, Virginia, and she manages investment property as part of her business. Elaine is also an Accredited Buyer's Representative as well as a Senior Real Estate Specialist. She has helped numerous clients invest in and make money on property in Southeastern Virginia. Visit http://www.voncannonrealestate.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Sell Your Home Without a Realtor and Save Thousand$$$ A typical real estate commission on a $234,000 home (national median price for all existing homes as of July 2005) is over $16,000. In many areas the cut a real estate broker gets is much higher. NAR Broker Will Swear It - Real Pro' Agents Share It - FSBO Truth For posting the "Truth" on your website, some FSBO's will not like you. These prospects would not have listed with you anyway. Vegas: The New Frontier Unless you have been living in Siberia, you know that Real Estate is on fire in many places around the country. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find a city where this was not the case. Personal Branding Techniques for Real Estate Agents and Brokers Branding can be done to any product, or any person. Before undertaking an exercise in personal branding, however, consider your distinctive strengths and abilities and what they offer the market place. Why Selling on Lease Options is Glorified Landlording I might upset some folks with this one, but that's okay as I think it's important to get some of my experiences into the light of day. If you fully believe the hype that you won't have any landlording responsibilities by selling on a lease option, go ahead and stop here. 5 Secrets for Surviving a Real Estate Market Downturn History repeatedly serves to show us that the real estate market is cyclical. It has boom times and stagnant times, occasionally it suffers a crash but real estate never becomes worthless, therefore if the experts are right and we're about to suffer a slow to stagnant period in the real estate market, all is not lost!There are 5 fundamental secrets that real estate investors like to keep close to their chest and they are the secrets that enable them to survive and even profit during a bear market. How to Find the Sweet Spot in Real Estate Investing Psssssssssst, Want to know a great way to make FAST money in real estate? Listen closely now because this tip is definitely cashable.. Small Town Stone House with a Long History As a native Midwesterner, the first thing I noticed when moving to the Delaware Valley was the enormous number of fieldstone houses. Frankly, I'd never seen such a thing. Should You Buy Real Estate Now I have been seeing the market on fire for a long time and have started telling my friends, "don't buy now". No one can accurately determine exactly when it will happen, but it is definately on the way. The Benefits of Fractional Ownership in Private Residence Clubs A New Way to Own a Vacation Home - For the Select Few: Fractional ownership of vacation homes, also called private residence clubs, is a relatively new concept that allows you to enjoy four to 12 weeks of home ownership privileges per year at an upscale, luxury resort but at a fraction of the cost of whole ownership.If you want to own an impressive second home complete with personalized services and located in an expensive resort area but can't quite justify the expense because you'll only be using it a few weeks or months of the year, this type of real estate arrangement may appeal to you. Writing on the Wall - Are REITs a Better Investment for You? When I was a young child I had many annoying tendencies. My mother explained to me that the most annoying was my need to write on the walls of every room. How to Build a Real Estate Investing Power Team As you continue to read about real estate investing, you will no doubt come across the term 'power team'. What is this 'power team'? A power team is a group of people without whom successful real estate investing becomes very difficult, if not impossible. A Powerful Suggested Technique for YOUR Home & Property Search A Powerful Suggested Technique for YOUR Home & Property Search by Jody Hudson You can be a pro at buying a home: Whether you are buying your first home or you are an experienced home buyer who owns more than one home, there are some things that can help you get faster results and get more professional and pleasant help from your Realtor. A home or property purchase is one of the most important and exciting events to experience. Refinancing Your Home Loan? When Should You Refinance Your Home? If you have a current mortgage and are unhappy with the interest rate or the amount of the monthly payments, it is possible to refinance your home and eliminate your problems. But before you call your lender, there are some questions that you should ask yourself in order to determine whether or not it's the right time for refinancing your mortgage loan. Time Is A Major Real Estate Wealth Growth Tool, So Use IT And Watch Your... In Real Estate "Time" is a Wealth Development ToolsReal estate wealth,From The Desk Of Colm DillonHello, Colm here .. The Many Benefits Of Lease Purchasing Lease Purchasing affords wonderful benefits and opportunities to sellers, buyers, investors and those who would like to operate a home-based business. Lease Purchasing allows you to control property without ownership which has benefits for all. A Difference Between Appraisal, Assessment, Home Inspection Every one should have a home inspection before purchasing any property, including new construction. You may think that's rediculous but there are too many cases that prove otherwise. Home Selling: Making It Easy On Yourself! It's a dream for many to buy and take ownership of a home. It's something one aspires for in their lifetime. Lock In Big Profits By Offering Rent To Own Deals Why would anyone accept a lease option, rent to own deal? Why would you, as a seller/investor look to find rent to own tenants? How can you use this technique to LOCK IN profits that are much greater than would be found in a straight sale?Basically, the advantages depend on which of two end results occur: either the rent to own tenant completes on the property, or they don't. You make money either way!There are MANY people who have less than sterling credit, might not have a long time on the job, or not have a ton of money for down payment, closing, etc. Real Estate Investing - The Marvel Of Home Depot And Lowes Repairing a rental home (or your own home) use to require running down to the local hardware store or to the nearby building supply house. After several stops around town, you found everything you needed to solve your maintenance problem.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 TIGER MEDIA |
