Figuring out how much a home is worth can be confusing — there’s the sales price, the market value, and the appraised value determined by a third-party appraiser. What are the differences between the appraised value of a house and its market value? This information can help home buyers and sellers understand how each value can impact a home sale.

Dig deeper: How to get a mortgage

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What is the appraisal value of a house?

First, it’s crucial to understand how a home appraisal works. An appraisal is one step in securing a mortgage loan for a property. After a buyer applies for the loan, the lender will typically order an appraisal from a professional real estate appraiser. This third-party professional’s job is to objectively evaluate the property's value based on its features and how it compares to other homes in the area.

Here are some of the factors that go into a home’s appraised value:

The appraisal itself is a written document outlining the appraiser’s opinion of the property’s value on a specific date. The mortgage lender uses this report to see whether the appraised value roughly aligns with the sales price and ultimately decides if it will lend the buyer enough money to buy the house. The lender is required to provide the buyer with a copy of the appraisal no more than three days before closing on the loan.

Learn more: What is a home appraisal, and how does it work?

What is the market value of a house?

While a professional appraiser determines a home's appraised value, buyers decide its market value. Market value describes the amount buyers are willing to pay to purchase a home, which may be higher or lower than the listing price. For example, buyers might be willing to pay above the asking price in a seller’s market to beat out the competition.

Housing market conditions greatly impact homes’ fair market values. Generally, market values tend to be higher in seller’s markets and lower in buyer’s markets.

The home market value and appraised value may end up being the same number — but that isn’t always the case.

Learn more: Is it a buyer’s market or a seller’s market? How to tell the difference.

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How an appraisal gap can affect the home sale

Sometimes, the house's appraised value is lower than the amount the home buyer agreed to pay when the seller accepted their offer. This difference is known as an “appraisal gap,” and it can complicate the mortgage loan process. Why? Because the lender typically agrees to lend the borrower a percentage of the appraised value rather than a percentage of the purchase price.

For example, let’s say a buyer puts in a $250,000 offer on a home and plans to make a 10% down payment, or $25,000. They expect the mortgage lender to loan them 90% of the home price, or $225,000.

However, the appraisal comes back, listing the home’s appraised value as $230,000. The lender will only loan the buyer 90% of the appraised value, or $207,000. If they go through with the home sale for $250,000, they will have to pay an additional $18,000 in cash to the seller, on top of the original $25,000 down payment, to make up the difference.

Such an appraisal gap will cost a buyer more out of pocket without providing them with any additional equity in the home. On the other hand, if the appraised value is higher than the offered price, they start out with equity in their home on day one.

If the appraisal reveals the appraised value is lower than the purchase price, buyers must decide between paying the difference, renegotiating the price with the seller, or walking away from the sale.

Read more: What happens if an appraisal comes back lower than the offer?

Appraised value vs. market value FAQs

Is the appraised value the same as the market value?

The appraised value and the market value are two different methods of determining a property's worth. The appraised value is calculated by a professional real estate appraiser who compares the property to other listings in the market. The fair market value is the amount of money buyers are willing to pay for the property, which may be more or less than the appraised value.

Is the appraised value higher than the market value?

The appraised home value may be higher than the market value depending on circumstances such as the recent sales prices of comparable homes in the area or location. However, the appraised value could end up being lower than the market value. The numbers often end up being the same or very close, making the buying and selling processes easier.

Should you pay more for a house than the appraised value?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises buyers against purchasing a home for more than the appraised value because the buyer will typically have to make up the difference in cash. If there is an appraisal gap, it could be better to either renegotiate the purchase price or walk away from the deal.

This article was edited by Laura Grace Tarpley .