So what is a view worth?

Found this in the Desert Morning News from Utah, l2/27/05 Lake County section of Suncrest has the highest property taxes in Utah this year: $1,979 on a $200,000 home. Unincorporated Wayne County, where Jones lives near Bicknell, has the lowest: $880 on a $200,000 home.

That is a $1,099 additional property tax for a view on a same-value home. View levels in Utah vary — and fluctuate — a lot.

What we see here is this particular property tax assessor valued a good view upward at 54%!!

What's important to take away is not to discount the better view a comparable has. This may not be apparent unless one physically does a drive by.

On your drive by the sold comparable's, notice any other features that may warrant adjustments. Especially look for items your comparable has and that you lack. These are the minuses that chop away at your valuation. A new driveway, a newer roof, great landscaping ... all the items covered in the book.

Multiple regression analysis conducted in Fairfax County, Virginia as reported in The Appraisal Journal, , proved an 8% addition to value for a single-family house with a good view.

If you have a question as to what a buyer would pay for a specific view, ask a few Realtors® or appraisers for their opinion. The most accurate method to arrive at the value of the view is to use matched pairs. Find a sale(s) of nearly identical property with similar view(s) compared to sales of equally identical properties without a view. After adjusting for minor differences between the properties, their difference is the adjustment.

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Save on Legwork: To save you some legwork - this may just be what you are looking for. You'll still may have to look at the property and neighborhood to visually fine tune your adjustments.

Sold Data: House value documented evidence and backup for your home value conclusion. For a very modest outlay, obtain sold date data, square footage, living area, amenities, number of rooms, pool, fireplace, air conditioning, sales price, assessments, lot and block number, address, ... AND comparable properties without having to chase down and dance with real estate brokers.

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Best wishes to you and with your financial future.