A commercial parcel's rear third cannot be reached by vehicles and cannot be split off. How should it be treated?
Correct Answer
C) As surplus land contributing at a lower rate
Why this is correct: Surplus land is land that is not needed to support the highest and best use but cannot be sold separately due to physical or legal constraints. It contributes some value, but at a lower rate than the primary site. Excess land, in contrast, can be sold off separately and is valued at its own highest and best use. Why the other choices are wrong: 'As excess land valued at the full unit rate' is wrong because it cannot be split off and sold separately. 'As land excluded from the site area entirely' is incorrect; it is still part of the legal parcel. 'As a site improvement subject to depreciation' is wrong; land is not depreciated. Exam tip: Can it be sold off? Yes = Excess. No, but it's extra = Surplus.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
Why this is correct: Surplus land is land that is not needed to support the highest and best use but cannot be sold separately due to physical or legal constraints. It contributes some value, but at a lower rate than the primary site. Excess land, in contrast, can be sold off separately and is valued at its own highest and best use. Why the other choices are wrong: 'As excess land valued at the full unit rate' is wrong because it cannot be split off and sold separately. 'As land excluded from the site area entirely' is incorrect; it is still part of the legal parcel. 'As a site improvement subject to depreciation' is wrong; land is not depreciated. Exam tip: Can it be sold off? Yes = Excess. No, but it's extra = Surplus.
More land-or-site-valuation Questions
Under which condition is the land residual technique most applicable?
What is the appraiser's obligation when a site's legal description does not match its apparent physical boundaries?
Why can the same physical parcel carry different values in two assignments?
A site differs from land in that a site is best described as which of the following?
In a built-up area where no vacant land has sold for years, which approach to site value is the usual fallback?
How is entrepreneurial profit treated in the subdivision development method?
A land comparable sold 18 months ago in a market rising about 4 percent a year. What adjustment direction applies?
In a land residual analysis for a proposed office development, the appraiser estimates total annual net operating income (NOI) will be $1,250,000. The improvement value, derived via the cost approach, is $15,000,000. Market evidence indicates a 7.0% overall capitalization rate is appropriate for similar improved properties. What is the indicated land value?
A developer plans a 36-lot residential subdivision on raw land. Each lot is expected to sell for $85,000. Total development costs (excluding land) are $1,420,000, including $220,000 for entrepreneurial incentive. The developer requires a 12% annual yield on invested capital over a 3-year development period. Using the subdivision development method, what is the maximum price the developer should pay for the land if all lots sell at the projected price and timing?
In applying the land residual technique to a proposed subdivision, an appraiser estimates that the time required to fully absorb all lots will be 6 years. The developer requires a 10% annual yield on invested capital. Which discounting approach is most appropriate for converting future net proceeds to present value?
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