There are many things to consider when buying your home. It is not just the home itself that you must mull over, but perhaps the most important aspect is how much it costs. However, it may come surprising that it is not just one price tag that you should consider, but there are three in particular: Market, replacement, and property tax value.
With that said, every homeowner is different. Some concerns could be about mortgage rates, down payment, etc. But given that the overall property value depends on these three main categories, certified financial planners have stated that these are the crucial price tags you must consider when looking at different houses.
Things To Consider Before Buying Your Home
We will start by exploring the market value and why it is important to know and understand. Simply put, the market value refers to calculating your house’s value. It is the price someone would pay if you were to sell it in today’s housing market, regardless of how much you paid for it and whether you have renovated the property or not.
You may be wondering why you would even need to think about this if your plan is for this to be yours forever home. What you have to remember is that there are no uncertainties in life. You may regret not considering this if you purchase another home. Fortunately, any experienced real estate agent or firm you work with will be able to acquire this type of information for you. The agent can gather the selling prices of similar homes in the area to help you make an informed decision and set reasonable expectations. Another reason why market value is important to know is that it will help you determine your home equity. This is basically calculated by subtracting the amount you owe on your home from its market value.
As for the replacement value, this refers to the estimated cost it helps to rebuild your home in case of total loss. In other words, this will be the number that the insurance companies will use to determine the coverage amount needed in your homeowner’s policy. As building costs increase, you want to ensure that your insurance sufficiently covers your home.
The property tax value is a price tag we all would love to skip. Unfortunately, it is unavoidable, and this is the number used by taxing authorities to calculate your property tax bill. When buying your home, you should ensure that the property tax assessment is not significantly higher than your market value. Otherwise, you will have to pay a considerably high and disproportionate tax. This may be caused by some outdated regulations, which is why you must check this and ensure that the tax value is approximate to the market value.
Taking all that into consideration, these are truly the prices that matter because it helps you make an informed decision about your investment. Buying your home is not a decision to take lightly, thus, it is imperative to consider all the different scenarios that may cost you in the long run.
