True Values

Abstract

Where property markets are still developing, there is little sales data on which to base valuations. As a result, it is more difficult to assign accurate property valuations, there is greater scope for abuse, and these valuations are more likely to be contested.In peri-urban or rural areas where property markets are almost non-existent, a value may be largely theoretical, and it may not be possible to sell the property due to lack of demand, contested or unclear land titles, or communal land holdings. This may in turn lead to sharp disagreements about appropriate valuation for tax purposes and, in some True valuescases, large discrepancies between the notional value of a property and taxpayers’ ability to pay