EstatePass
income-approachmedium

In a discounted cash flow analysis for a ground lease with 40 years remaining, the appraiser projects level annual ground rent of $120,000 and estimates a reversion (fee simple value at lease expiration) of $3,000,000. The appraiser selects a 5.0% yield rate for the leasehold interest. Which statement accurately describes how the reversion is treated in this analysis?

Correct Answer

B) The reversion is discounted at 5.0% over 40 years and added to the present value of the rent annuity.

In a leasehold DCF, the reversion (i.e., the value of the fee simple interest reverting to the lessor at lease expiration) is a lump-sum benefit accruing at the end of the lease term and must be discounted to present value using the same yield rate applied to the lease payments — here, 5.0% over 40 years. The total leasehold value equals the present value of the annuity of ground rent plus the present value of the reversion. USPAP Standards Rule 1-10 and The Appraisal of Real Estate (12th ed.), Ch. 17, confirm that all future benefits attributable to the interest being appraised must be included and discounted at the appropriate yield rate. Option B correctly applies this principle; options A, C, and D violate fundamental DCF logic or USPAP requirements.

Answer Options
A
The reversion is excluded because ground leases do not have reversions under USPAP.
B
The reversion is discounted at 5.0% over 40 years and added to the present value of the rent annuity.
C
The reversion is capitalized into perpetuity using the 5.0% yield rate and added to the annuity value.
D
The reversion is valued at $3,000,000 without discounting, since it occurs at the end of the lease term.

Why This Is the Correct Answer

In a leasehold DCF, the reversion (i.e., the value of the fee simple interest reverting to the lessor at lease expiration) is a lump-sum benefit accruing at the end of the lease term and must be discounted to present value using the same yield rate applied to the lease payments — here, 5.0% over 40 years. The total leasehold value equals the present value of the annuity of ground rent plus the present value of the reversion. USPAP Standards Rule 1-10 and The Appraisal of Real Estate (12th ed.), Ch. 17, confirm that all future benefits attributable to the interest being appraised must be included and discounted at the appropriate yield rate. Option B correctly applies this principle; options A, C, and D violate fundamental DCF logic or USPAP requirements.

Was this explanation helpful?

More income-approach Questions

People Also Study

Practice More Appraiser Questions

Access all practice questions with progress tracking and adaptive difficulty to pass your Appraiser exam.

Start Practicing