There are many determining factors to take into account when having your land appraised. Most people don’t realize how many different things an appraiser has to consider in order to come up with that final number on your property. In this article we will go over some of the top things an appraiser looks at when determining the amount of your property.
One of the biggest things an appraiser will look for is access to the property. This is akey factor in determining a properties value. No matter how spectacular a piece of property is, if you can’t get to it, it’s not going to be worth very much. They look to see if there is a road to access the property and if the road public or private. They look to see if the road is gravel or paved and if it is maintained by the city or the homeowner. All of these factors can change a property value one way or the other.
Amenities Can Have Effects On Your Land Appraisal
Do you have any amenity features on your property? A pond or a river perhaps? Those types of features can raise the value of your property but they could also hurt they value if they hinder the use of the property in anyway. If the the river cuts off access to a huge chunk of your property and that piece of land can’t be used because you can’t get to it, then that limits the lands use potential and will drop the value.
Your property lay out could have a huge impact on the value. If you have a piece of property that is very narrow, that could limit the use of this land. If large equipment can’t get onto the property, then how would a homeowner replace a septic tank if it were to go bad. There are so many things to consider when looking at the layout of a piece of land. Is it vulnerable to trespassers? Does the property have development potential? All of these play a part in determining the price of your property.
Location Can Have An Impact Too
The location of your land is another important factor in selling your property. The same piece of land could have different uses in two different locations. A piece of property in the city could be used for housing developments where as that same piece of land in rural area could be used for logging if it is close to a mill. If there is a potential for homes to be built, they will check to see if it is close to any near by schools, stores, and jobs. They have to make sure there is room for growth.
What About Home Improvements On Your Property?
Have you done any improvements to your property? Fenced in your yard, paved your driveway, added a gazebo in your yard? All of these things could greatly increase the value of your property.
Try to remove anything that could be considered an eye sore. Make sure weeds are pulled, grass is mowed, clear any brush, trim trees, and clear over grown shrubs. If you have any outside structures like sheds, barns, garages or carports, these structures will add value to your land. Another thing an appraiser will take into consideration when viewing your property is if it could
be used for logging. The appraiser will inspect the trees on the property to see if they have any value or if they have no value, they would need to be removed. They take into consideration if the
trees have been planted or grown on their own. If the trees can be sold then the appraiser has to factor in the current price of lumber for each type of tree that is on the property in order to give
the best estimate for the piece of land.
Does your piece of land flood? If so, this could lower the value. An appraiser will look at the bases of the trees on the property to see if there is green algae growing on them and they will also look
to see if there is plant life growing on the floor. If there isn’t any plants growing and there is algae growing on the base of the trees, this is a good indication that there is flooding going on. So
many questions have to be answered when having your property appraised in order for your appraiser to give you the best estimate for what your property is worth. The bigger the piece of property the longer it will take because your appraiser will have to view the entire piece of land.