Finding the market value of a property

Finding the Market Value or "ARV" of an investment property is the first step in determining if it is a deal. Whether you are a Real Estate Investor or a Home Buyer you want to know if you are getting a good deal. Below are some quick links to help you in your search.

When I present an Investment Property to one of my buyers the first things that they want to know is “What’s the Market Value”. This is the most important fact in determining if the property is a deal. No matter how motivated your seller is if the property is not at least %40 below market value it is not a deal.

Finding the market value or “ARV” of a property is the key factor in determining a deal. The MLS is the most accurate way to find the value of a property but not everyone has access to the MLS.
Fortunately there are many web sites that link directly to the MLS and they are free for anyone to use.

These sites will give you the market value of a property along with a list of comparable houses that have sold in the area. Below are links to some of the web sites that I have found most useful.
Zillow.com
Homevaluehunt.com
Homes.com
Homevalues.com
Homegain.com
Cyberhomes.com
Realestate.yahoo.com/homevalues

Try to use the estimates from a few different sites when you are looking at the market value of your Real Estate Investment. Now find a motivated seller and you got a great deal!!! Good Luck!!

Written by Carol Stinson. All rights reserved.