Fair Market Value (FMV)

Fair market value (FMV) is an estimate of the market value of a property, based on what a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured buyer would probably pay to a knowledgeable, willing, and unpressured seller in the market.

An estimate of fair market value may be founded either on precedent or extrapolation. Fair market value differs from the intrinsic value that an individual may place on the same asset based on their own preferences and circumstances.

Since market transactions are often not observable for assets such as privately held businesses and most personal and real property, FMV must be estimated.

An estimate of Fair Market Value is usually subjective due to the circumstances of place, time, the existence of comparable precedents (similar comparable properties), and the evaluation principles of each involved person.

Opinions on value are always based upon subjective interpretation of available information at the time of assessment.