Definition of "Fair market value"

The definition of Fair Market Value in the real estate business is the highest amount that could be received on the sale of a property when there are a willing buyer and a willing seller. But that seems kind of vague, right?

Let’s give Fair Market Value some context:

Truth is whenever a home seller says “I want to sell my house!”, both the home seller and the real estate agent wants to sell the property for the highest price they can, right? However, the home buyer, obviously, wants to buy the house for the lowest price he/she can. So, an “arm wrestling match” regarding the value of the property begins. At the end of that negotiation, when the home seller and the home buyer agree on a price, we have the Fair Market Value of that estate.

Things you should be on the lookout to define a precise Fair Market Value of a property:

- How is the market right now? Do a Comparative Market Analysis.

- Is the house in good conditions? Have a professional Appraisal of the property done.

- How much would it cost to build a new one just like yours? Try the Replacement Cost Approach.

RealEstateAgent.com ADVICE:

Now that you’ve done your homework regarding Fair Market Value the choice is yours: you can either access our Real Estate Agent Directory and search our amazing database for that trustworthy real estate agent that will help you make your house sell, or you can keep searching for other terms on our Real Estate Glossary box below. Good luck!

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

Typically, a waiver means remission or giving up on a particular claim. You can find the term waiver widely used in real life, finance, and real estate terminology. How do waivers work? A ...

Vendee refers to a person to whom something is sold. The meaning of vendee is a buyer of goods and services. A more common term for vendee is a purchaser. While a vendor is a seller, the ...

Broker employed by and therefore loyal to the buyer. ...

Same as term real estate: Also called real property. Anything permanently affixed to the land, such as buildings, walls, fences, and shrubs, as well as the rights to own or use them. It is ...

One who donated or gives a gift or bequest. ...

Unincorporated combination (roll-up) of limited partnerships in a real estate together as a group. It is usually more comprehensive, financially sound, and marketable than individual ...

If escrow is the legal “moment” where assets are held by a third party (an escrow agent) hired by both the buyer and the seller of goods like real estate and insurance until the ...

A mortgage requiring a substantial down payment. It is usually only available to those having good credit, and has fixed monthly payments for the life of the loan. It usually has a 30 year ...

Written obligation of a borrower that is backed by collateral in the event of default. The lender must assure himself that the market value of the security equals or exceeds the amount of ...

Popular Real Estate Questions