How to Find the Value of a House by Address

The value of a house is public information. The assessed value and sales history are all available for anyone to search. You may be alarmed by that information, but think of it in another way. Not only can others look up the value of your home, you can find out the value of other people's houses. This can bring out your nosey side. Have you ever wondered what your coworker paid for his giant, ritzy house? Have you ever wanted to know how much your friend's home was worth? You can easily find the value of a house by following these simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet connection
• Calculator

Instructions

1. Locate the county assessor's website. Each county in each state has a website.

2. Click on parcel search. The assessor's home page will have a bit about the assessor for that particlar county and a link for a property or parcel search. You want to click on this link. Once you are brought to the next page, type in the address of the house and click "enter".

3. Scroll down on the page and locate the assessed value. There will be an assessed value of the house on the page. The taxes are figured using this value. Typically, they are updated every couple of years, so the value should be fairly accurate.

4. Look on the page for the sales history of the house. If the home hasn't been sold for many, many years, there may not be any information. You will find, however, more recent sales information on the home. Many times, the sales amount and sellers will be listed.

5. Calculate the approximate value of the home with these 2 numbers: assessed value, and last sale amount. You will not find an area listed, "market value." You will have to do a little figuring yourself. If using the home's sale information, calculate about 4 or 5 percent into the worth each year. Then, compare this to the assessed value. Usually, the number you come up with will be higher than the assessed value. In some cases, it may be 10 to 20 percent higher. Use these two numbers to come up with an average house value.

Tips & Warnings

• If you know someone who has recently built a house, or lives in a brand new house, the assessed information will not be available for about a year.

• Don't tell your friends you have looked up the value of their houses. Keep that information to yourself unless they ask you to do it for them.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Assessor Links USA