The economy is rapidly changing. Real estate values have fluctuated greatly over the past several years. If you’re wondering how much your home is worth, there are a couple of things you should know. Your home won’t have a single price tag. Realistically speaking, your home has three different price tags. Before you set your eyes on a home for sale or a realtor to help you sell your own house, you should consider all three of them.
Each of the values we’re about to discuss has its own use. Knowing when each of these values applies is important. These values are market value, replacement value, and property tax value.
Market value is the most used value. To put it simply, it’s how much a person would pay if you put your house for sale. This value is irrelevant to how much you paid when you bought your place or how you modified it.
Market value is what you’ll be looking to get when you try to sell your house. A realtor will estimate the market value of your home based on other properties in the neighborhood and their value. Unfortunately, your home’s market value could be less than you expected. It’s important to know how to negotiate with potential buyers and know your home’s true market value.
The replacement value is the second value on our list. It refers to how much you’ll need to rebuild your house in the event of total loss. This is also estimated based on construction prices in your neighborhood. It’s important to keep in mind that replacement value isn’t just what you’ll pay to rebuild. Removing debris and damaged structures is also part of rebuilding and will be included in the replacement value.
Dwelling coverage will be determined by insurance companies using replacement value. Making sure your dwelling coverage will cover significant damage is essential. The only thing worse than severely damaging your home is not having the money to fix it.
Finally, the third value on our list is property tax value. This is what tax authorities use to determine your property tax bill. Normally, your property tax value should approximate the home’s market value. Assessments made by tax authorities can be outdated, leading to a property tax bill that’s too high or too low. Your property tax value might be much higher than your home’s market value. If that happens, you should contest that value with the responsible tax authorities. Remodeling is one of the things that can drive up your property tax value.
Contrary to popular belief, your home has three values. Most people fixate on the market value, especially if they intend to sell. Replacement value is important to keep in mind. Hopefully, you never need to rebuild your home, but it’s always a good idea to have a backup plan. Keeping an eye on your home’s property tax value is also essential.
