Understanding Property Depreciation: Calculating Value Diminishment and Resale Worth

An immovable asset’s depreciation is frequently taken into account when determining its price in order to determine how much value has diminished over time. Property depreciation is a frequent occurrence, and if measured correctly, you may quickly ascertain its resale worth. 

What is property depreciation?

A decrease in the selling price of an immovable item is all that depreciation in value entails. The land is the only object that has a long lifespan and can continue to be beneficial. Even if the structure’s value decreases with time, the value of the land changes in the other direction. So, only the structure built on the ground is taken into account when calculating the depreciation of property. Buildings and homes lose value with time based on how long they will still be usable. The land, on the other hand, is still valued today.

How is property depreciation determined?

An independent home has an average usable life of about 60 years. The entire useful age of the structure and the number of years following construction must be taken into account when calculating the depreciation of property.

The number of years following construction is divided by the structure’s overall useful age in the calculation used to determine depreciation of property. The current price of the building can be calculated by deducting the formula’s result from the selling price of the building or residence. That, however, does not represent the full cost of the property.

The cost of the land should also be taken into account.

Let’s use an illustration to better grasp this.

For instance, a person wants to sell his ten-year-old house, which-

Land cost Rs. 30 lakh at the time of purchase.

Cost of construction is Rs. 20 lakh.

Land value has increased to Rs 45 lakh.

The maximum useful age is 60.

Age of the structure in years since construction is 10 years.

As a result, using the formula above,

The property’s depreciated value is 10/60, or 1/6.

To get the property’s market worth, subtract this depreciation from the building cost and add the increased land value.

Building cost after depreciation = Rs. 20,00,000* (1/6) = Rs. 3.33 lakh

= Rs 20 lakh – Rs 3.33 lakh

Rs 16.66 lakh 

Add the increased land value of Rs. 45 lakh to this.

Hence, the final market value that a person might state is around Rs 61.67 lakh.

Why does the Income Tax Agency publish depreciation rates for buildings?

The Income Tax Department permits taxpayers to claim a deduction based on the decline in the value of their tangible (like real estate) and intangible (like patent) assets. Hence, the tax agency releases the depreciation rate at the beginning of each Financial Year (FY).

Since the Assessment Year (AY) 2018–19, the building depreciation rates have not altered. Buildings fall under a variety of property types. While some structures might be residential, others might be industrial or commercial.

The rate of depreciation for a property is 5% for residential properties and 10% for other buildings. A building’s furniture and fixtures, including its electrical fittings, depreciate at a rate of 10% as well. Temporary wooden constructions depreciate at a rate of 40%.

Factors that cause a property’s value to decline

Physical Obsolescence 

Buildings decay with time. A home that has only recently been built needs less care than one that is ten years old because weather conditions can affect the structure’s durability and appearance. So, if a property is older, the depreciation will be greater unless the owner takes good care of it.

The physical upkeep of a property has a significant impact on its depreciation value, according to Sanjeev Bansal, proprietor of Bhagwati Infra. When compared to a well-kept property, a poorly maintained property can experience a 40% greater depreciation. Moreover, properties in underdeveloped locations may depreciate by as much as 60% more than a comparable property in a wealthy neighborhood.

Location and amenities

Homes lose value more quickly in some places than others. A property located in a luxury neighborhood will depreciate less quickly than one in a less affluent neighborhood. In addition, the resale value of the property may potentially be impacted by incomplete or delayed infrastructure projects. For instance, any connectivity project that is currently under construction in your region but has been long-stalled or shelved may result in a considerable decline in property value. Moreover, the construction of slum tenements or a crematory close to the property could have a negative effect on its value.

legal disputes

In general, purchasers avoid buying contested real estate or assets that are mired in legal disputes, although many buyers who are savvy enough to avoid legal disputes might prefer disputed real estate. 

The main cause of this is that contested properties are offered for sale for a low price since the sellers just care about making a profit. Their only goal is to sell the property.

Considerations for property depreciation

Although it cannot be avoided, the price of a property is not completely determined by the depreciation formula when it is being sold. If a home has been on the market for a while but has not had any inquiries, the seller may think about lowering the price they have quoted. After figuring out the depreciation value, this decrease will be extra to the price stated.

Also, if a property needs work, the seller might think about doing a little of it before listing it for sale to make sure there are at least a few buyers. Simply put, even if pricing is influenced by the depreciation parameter, it cannot be the sole component used to determine the sale price. 

The seller is advised to maintain a negotiation threshold of roughly 10% to close the deal.

Exceptions to property depreciation

An emotional attachment

An individual may occasionally develop a strong emotional bond with a property they own. In that situation, even if the seller excludes the depreciation factor, they can still pay more for the property. For instance, even though the quoted value is more than those of other comparable homes in the region, a person who spent his childhood in an ancestral property that was sold for any reason may decide to repurchase it. He has an emotional attachment to the asset, which is why.

Lack of land

In large cities or prominent places, property owners might command a higher price. This is due to the limited availability of developable land in such areas. As a result, residential prices increase more quickly than those of developing communities with plenty of available land.

In general, property depreciation should be understood by sellers in order to set a fair asking price. Finding the right buyers can be challenging for overpriced properties. Finding the optimum price and a qualified buyer for the property might be aided by calculating the depreciation using the technique previously outlined.

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