Definition of "Property appreciation"

Appreciation, or property appreciation in real estate is the increase in the value of a property or asset over time. This increase in value can be due to a number of factors; inflation, population growth, economic growth of an area, etc. Property appreciation can occur under a variety of different circumstances and with virtually any piece of real estate. Appreciation is the opposite of depreciation. Let’s explore some examples of appreciation in real estate. 

 

Examples of property appreciation in real estate

 

Joan is a young woman in her early 30’s. After finishing a masters degree in finance, Joan finds an excellent job with a good salary at a stock brokerage company. As she nears her mid thirties, her house is paid off and she has saved up a tidy sum of money. With her savings, Joan invests in a cozy little bungalow in the suburbs, spending a reasonable sum of $125,000. 

 

After finding a tenant and contracting a property management service, Joan begins to reap the rewards of her investment. However, after a few years of being a landlady, Joan tires of the responsibility and stress of maintaining the property, and decides to sell. After contacting a real estate agent and finding a buyer, Joan manages to get $225,000, making a tidy profit of $100,000. 

 

The cause for this higher price is what is known as property appreciation. During the time that Joan had owned the house, a mall had been built nearby, a new movie theatre opened and an office complex newly constructed. The resulting demand for housing caused the value of Joan’s house to go up, without her even having to do anything.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Active photoelectric cell made of silicon and activated by electromagnetic energy in the form of light waves. They are now used in a wide range of electronic systems including ...

Form of lighting designed to have 90% to 100% of the emitted light directed upward so the principal illumination is reflected rather than direct. Indirect lighting is designed to have less ...

Pipe fitting shaped like the letter U permitting an intersecting pipe to be directed around another pipe. Plumbing connection between two water pipes in the same system. Passageway ...

A partition or wall that provides no support to the structure in which it is located. For example, a nonbearing partition or wall does not support any floors above it. A partition which ...

Work required as a court judgment because of a crime committed. ...

Agreement in which the contract price to build something is equal to the total costs incurred plus a predetermined profit. The profit may be based on a percentage of cost (e.g., 20% of ...

Clause in a percentage lease permitting the landlord to cancel a lease and recover the property if the tenant's sales fall below a specified level. Clause in a lease permitting the ...

Under law, a warranty in effect even if not expressly stated. It provides that real property sold is warranted to be appropriate for sale and is in proper condition even if not stated, ...

Measures looking at the past, current a future direction of the economy. They may have an impact on the real estate market. Each month government bodies, including the Federal Reserve ...

Popular Real Estate Questions