When preparing to sell your home in Fort Walton Beach, it’s common to encounter confusion regarding its value. If you’re eager to ascertain its true worth, commissioning a professional appraisal is an option. Alternatively, a knowledgeable real estate agent can furnish you with comprehensive Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) reports, offering insights into your local market trends. Grasping the disparity between these home valuations can empower you to set an optimal asking price.
Market Value:
This is the amount your house is likely to sell for in a competitive market, assuming everything goes smoothly and you have interested buyers. It’s what you can realistically expect to receive after a few months on the market.
Assessed Value:
This is the value assigned to your property by the county for tax purposes. It’s not necessarily the same as the market value because it’s based on different factors and doesn’t always reflect changes in the market. The difference between assessed and market value is called the equalization rate.
Appraised Value:
But wait, there’s more. Your appraised value can differ from both of these. An appraisal is done by a licensed professional who rigorously checks all aspects of the home. While they might be 100% correct, this is still the opinion of one. Whereas other methods are mathematically calculated based off of your home’s history and market conditions.
Online Valuations:
Prominent real estate websites employ proprietary algorithms to estimate property values. These estimates, while broad, are based on market data and user input. However, they may not precisely reflect the value of your specific property. Analogous to the Kelley Blue Book for cars, these valuations offer an approximation, but actual market value can significantly vary. Discrepancies of $20,000 or more have been reported.
What it Means for Sellers:
It’s important to understand these values and work with a knowledgeable professional to set the right asking price. Setting it too high can deter buyers, while setting it too low means you might miss out on potential profit. Patience and professional guidance are key to getting the price you want for your Fort Walton Beach home. If you need more advice on selling your home, feel free to reach out to us!