Appraisals continue to lag homeowners’ price expectations, according to the latest Quicken Loans’ National Home Price Perception Index, which compares homeowners’ initial estimates and appraiser’s opinions of home values. Appraised values were 1.35 percent lower than homeowners’ expectations in August. That has narrowed from a 1.55 percent difference in July.
Many homeowners are still not understanding their home’s current value, according to the analysis. The perceptions can vary quite a bit across the country, too. For example, home values are 3 percent higher than homeowners’ estimated values in the West, while they are 3 percent lower than expected in the Midwest and Northeast.
“A 3 percent difference may seem small, but depending on the local market, it could make a significant impact on value,” according to Quicken Loans’ study. “For instance, a homeowner in Denver may have upwards of $11,000 in additional equity they can access for home improvements or loan consolidation.”
Source: Quicken Loans
