assessed value of real property isn’t necessarily equal to the property’s market value. Approximately 60% of U.S. properties are assessed higher than their current value; however, this doesn’t re fl ect what the homes will sell for. WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORTH? Th e fir st step in selling your home is knowing the diff erence between value, worth, and price. Let’s examine the determining factors at work. Understanding those factors allows them to be leveraged . Th ere are several ways a home’s value is derived. ONLINE HOME VALUATION A place to begin researching a rough estimate of a home’s market value is online. Several free online tools provide an estimate of your home’s current value based on recent comparable home sales in your area using a comprehensive database. Th e downside of these systems is that the assessment is based on available public data, with no guarantee of accuracy and o ft en using an algorithm that simply averages comparable sales in the geographic area. Th ese are quick and easy, but do not answer questions regarding factors like location and current local trends. Be aware that in practice, the prices arrived at might be highly inaccurate. For example, a home in Ohio was put into one such system, Re dfin (https://www.re dfin.c om/what-is-my-home-worth). Th e home last sold for $180,000 in 1998; it was appraised for re fin ancing in 2015 at $275,000. In 2017, Re dfin ’s calculator valued this 1890 Victorian home (4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, and 2,100 sq. ft .) in a four- block area of “Grand Old Ladies” at $158,000.
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