Buying Your Home - Appraisals & Market Value
What is the return on new versus previously owned homes?
Buying
into a new-home community may seem riskier than purchasing a house in an
established neighborhood, but any increase in home value depends upon the same
factors: quality of the neighborhood, growth in the local housing market and the
state of the overall economy.
What's a house worth?
A home ultimately is worth what
someone will pay for it. Everything else is an estimate of value. To determine a
property's value, most people turn to either an appraisal or a comparative
market analysis. An appraisal is a certified appraiser's estimate of the value
of a home at a given point in time. Appraisers consider square footage,
construction quality, design, floor plan, neighborhood and availability of
transportation, shopping and schools. Appraisers also take lot size, topography,
view and landscaping into account. Most appraisals cost a minimum of $400. A
comparative market analysis is a real estate broker's or agent's informal
estimate of a home's market value, based on sales of comparable homes in a
neighborhood. Most agents will give you a comparative market analysis for free.
What is the difference between list price, sales price and
appraised value?
The list price is a seller's advertised price, a figure
that usually is only a rough estimate of what the seller wants to get. Sellers
can price high, low or close to what they hope to get. To judge whether the list
price is a fair one, be sure to consult comparable sales prices in the area. The
sales price is the amount of money you as a buyer would pay for a property. The
appraisal value is a certified appraiser's estimate of the worth of a property,
and is based on comparable sales, the condition of the property and numerous
other factors.