Understand Home Value and Housing Markets
10 guides covering home value, appraisals, CMAs, equity, appreciation, and the supply-and-demand forces that move prices — written for property owners, buyers, and HOA members.
All 10 guides
All states · FreeHome Value Explained
What home value means, why different figures differ, how value is estimated, and which number applies to which decision — from tax bills to sale pricing.
Market Value vs. Assessed Value vs. Appraised Value
Three values that sound similar but are measured differently, used for different purposes, and frequently misapplied in real estate decisions.
What Affects Property Value?
The physical, location, economic, and market factors that determine what buyers are willing to pay — and how to evaluate which ones apply to a specific property.
Home Appraisals Explained
What appraisers analyze, how the report is structured, what a low appraisal triggers, and how an appraisal differs from a CMA or a home inspection.
Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) Explained
How agents select comparable sales, adjust for differences, and arrive at a list-price range — and how to critically evaluate a CMA you receive.
Price Per Square Foot Explained
What price per square foot measures, why it varies so much between properties, and how to apply it correctly without the common mistakes that lead to bad decisions.
Home Equity Explained
How equity is calculated, how mortgage payments and value changes affect it, what equity is not, and how to evaluate it for a sale, loan, or planning decision.
Home Appreciation Explained
What home appreciation means, how to calculate it in dollar, percentage, and inflation-adjusted terms, and why past appreciation does not predict future results.
Real Estate Market Cycles Explained
How housing markets move through expansion, slowing, stabilization, and recovery — and how to interpret prices, inventory, and demand without trying to predict turning points.
Why Home Prices Rise and Fall
How effective buyer demand, housing supply, mortgage rates, income, construction, and local conditions interact to move prices — and how to read a price headline without misreading the data.