Tom4value
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2016
- Professional Status
- Certified Residential Appraiser
- State
- Massachusetts
"Contributory value- Ok, you got me. Poor choice of words.Tom, just a note concerning your statement that the improvement had no "market" value. The term "contributory" value refers to the amount by which a single component of an asset influences its total value as a whole. If the whole house has "market" value, then a single component also has market value. The question of whether it "contributes" or is an item of "depreciation" needs to be addressed, along with other aspects including whether it was permitted, and/or if was installed in accordance with local codes, etc. This pertains to addressing the existence of physical and functional obsolescence. Whether there are similar comparables is a secondary consideration to addressing the issues of whether it is safe, sound and sanitary. This is a requirement of FHA/HUD, VA, Rural Development appraisals.
The rest, yes, of course. I don't subscribe to the lazy notion of "if it has no contributory value, then just ignore it". In the case I noted, the toilet looks like it had been there since before I was born so I knew that if I went to the Building Inspector I would be told there is no permit because they don't have records that old. It was not a safety issue and noted it in the report.