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Property tax basics

What Is the Cost Approach in a Property Assessment?

FairAppeal Editorial Team · August 21, 2026 · 2 min read

The cost approach estimates value as replacement cost minus depreciation plus land. It is one of the three approaches assessors use, not a DIY appraisal lesson.

The cost approach in property assessment estimates value as replacement cost minus depreciation plus land, one of the three traditional approaches to value. The idea is substitution: a buyer would not pay more than the cost of a like building on a like lot. This page names the formula. It is not a lesson in running an appraisal.

How does the cost approach calculate property value?

The formula is replacement cost new minus depreciation plus land value. The IAAO glossary states that sequence and treats the cost approach as one of the three approaches to value. IAAO's Standard on Mass Appraisal says the cost approach can apply to virtually all improved parcels. Land is usually a separate step.

Example: $150,000 replacement cost minus $20,000 depreciation plus $70,000 land equals $200,000. That walkthrough is an example, not a contractor's bid.

Look up if you are overpaying.

Does a property tax appeal have to use the cost approach?

No. A property tax appeal challenges the printed number, however the county built it. Cost is one path. Sales comparison and income are the other two. The property tax glossary keeps those three labeled. FairAppeal reviews your property and decides whether to file, and there are no upfront costs with Fair Appeal.