Definition of "Actual age"

Nora  Sienra real estate agent

Written by

Nora Sienraelite badge icon

Chateaux Realty

There’s no mystery. The actual age of a property is the chronological age of a property. Say a house was built two decades ago. That house’s actual age is 20 years old.

The counterpart to it is the Effective Age, which refers to the state the property is currently in.

So, do you know how sometimes you see a person that looks really young – effective age - and you’re amazed that he/she is actually much older – actual age - than what you’d thought? That can happen in the real estate world as well if the homeowner has done a good job with maintenance and renovations.

Usually, this relation of one versus the other comes up in bad scenarios, where the Fair Market Value of the property is brought down because the effective age of the house is much older than the actual age. But in rare cases it can bring the fair market value up because the former is so much older than the latter that it creates a perception of value due to the fact that it stood the test of time and became almost a relic in comparison to other properties in the market.

Real Estate tips:

Learn the actual meaning of hundreds of real estate terms in our Glossary.

Search through
The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory® for that perfect agent!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Type of ownership by husband and wife, recognized in 27 states, in which the rights of the deceased spouse pass to the survivor. It is the same as joint tenancy, except that one spouse ...

The depreciation method where an equal amount of depreciation expense is allocated to each full period of the asset's useful life. The amount of depreciation is computed as follows; Annual ...

Purchase of part of property or property rights when condemnation takes place. The owner must be justly reimbursed. ...

An increase in the income tax basis of a property that is a result of a tax-free exchange. As a result of an inheritance, for example, the basis of the inherited property was stepped up to ...

Don’t know what snowbirds mean? It’s not birds made of snow. Snowbirds is a nickname given to Canadians and American people that live in the colder northern states, that, ...

See accommodation endorser, maker, or party. ...

The "frost line" is a critical concept in real estate and construction, especially in regions with cold climates. But what exactly is the frost line, and why does it matter? Let’s ...

Any gain or loss from selling of capital assets. The gain or loss is the difference between the net selling price and cost basis. The two types of capital gains or losses for tax purposes ...

Personal income minus personal income tax payments and other government deductions. It is the personal income available for people to spend or save; also called take-home pay. It may be a ...

Popular Real Estate Questions