How long is a home appraisal valid to calculate the value of the house and can the value of a house go down in high growth markets?

Answer 1

Strictly speaking, the home appraisal is valid on the day it is signed and dated. The courts and the IRS generally recognize an appraisal as valid if it is less than a few months old. As a general rule of thumb, an appraisal should be considered out of date if it is more than six months old, under most market conditions. When prices are changing quickly, as they have over the last few years, even six months is too long. The value of your home can change the next day due to outside conditions. A free way is going to be built in front of your home. A person living next door is murdered in his home. These are unlikely and exaggerated conditons, of course. Generally, real estate values change in an orderly fashion determined by larger market conditions.