Who Really Determines a Home’s Value?

Long Island Real Estate Podcast with Karen and Joe Donovan

A home’s actual value is determined by two people: the appraiser and the buyer. Here’s why this is.

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When you’re getting ready to buy or sell a home, you often wonder who really determines the actual value of a home and what the sales price will eventually be. There are basically two people who determine the value of a home. The first is the appraiser. The appraiser will look at similar sold properties within the last six to 12 months. If you want to get an idea of what the appraiser will consider, all you need to do is go online and look at similar properties that have sold in the area within a mile or so of where you’re looking and what they sold for. In addition to the appraiser, there is one other person who determines what the final sales price of a home will be. Can you guess who it is? It’s the buyer. The buyer will offer a price for the home based on comparables of other homes currently for sale on the market and what they feel the house is worth to them.

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The appraiser and the buyer are the two people who determine a home’s value.

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You’ll notice there’s one person I didn’t mention—the seller. While they don’t determine the eventual sales price of the home, they can determine how long the home takes to sell. They do this in two ways. The first is by making sure the condition of the home is optimal. The second is by pricing their home properly in the beginning when they first list it.
We want to thank Gina for sending in her great question. For that, she will receive a $15 gift certificate to Panera’s. If you submit a question and I cover it in one of my future videos, you can also win a $15 gift certificate.
If you want to know more about determining the value of a home or you’d like a market snapshot to help you know the value of a home you’re thinking of buying or selling, give me a call or send me an email. Until next time, stay in tune with the market and make it a great day!