How to Find Out the Monetary Value of a House
- 1). Locate and contact an independent fee appraiser. Independent fee appraisers work on a contractual basis and use a complex formula to attach value to a home, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Locate an independent fee appraiser by contacting the National Association of Independent Fee Appraisers (NAIFA). A fee appraiser yields the most accurate result but requires the payment of a moderate fee.
- 2). Call your state government to request a recent appraisal. State and local governments employ assessors. Assessors determine the value of real estate to assess the appropriate annual property tax. Call your state’s secretary office or the comptroller or office of finance and request information on access to an online assessment database that most states operate. Typically, you can search the database for the home's value by entering the property type--condominium or townhouse, for example--and the address.
- 3). Contact a real estate agent. Real estate agents have access to a multiple listing service (MLS) which provides detailed home information, including prices of similar homes that may be for sale in your area. Real estate agents also have access to information regarding recent sales in your area. Comparing these prices can help you evaluate the value of your home.Search for a real estate agent where the house is located by visiting the National Association of Realtors website.
- 4). Conduct your own online research. You can use real estate driven sites like Zillow, HomesDatabase or ReMAX to locate the monetary value of a house you are considering for purchase. Keep in mind this may not be the most accurate estimate of the home’s value. Look at other similar homes in the same area for comparison. If you are pricing your own home, search for similar homes for sale in your area.