Fire causes $30,000 in damage to Campbell home

I didn't think there was a home left in Campbell worth $30,000!!! Bet you couldn't get what the county says it's worth if you tried to sell it. The day of proper county tax appraisals is coming and what will the DemoCROOKS do when it does?

Not that I'm defending the county, but you're using ZILLOW as a basis of comparison???

As far as the $30k damages caused by fire, that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the house's "total market value" or what Zillow claims its resale value is. I'm trying to buy a house on Ytown's north side, and the replacement value given by the insurance company is over $180k. (and it's not even one of the grand mansions...)

UnionForever you need to get out more, there are homes in Campbell well over $100,000. If you have never been to Campbell please check your comments before you post them.

"Rebuild values have 0 relationship to sales prices." You're absolutely right. But, in your first post, you implied that the house must have burned flat for it to have caused $25k in damage.

The prices listed by Zillow in my neighborhood are about 60-70% of what I think their real values should be. (I'm not a realtor, and you'll just assume that I'm biased, I'm sure.) But, I think Zillow's values are skewed by recent sales numbers, and don't accurately reflect the real values of houses in the neighborhood. You see, there have been no normal, move in ready houses sold in my neighborhood for the last few years. Virtually all of the houses sold recently were foreclosures bought by "investors," and none of them were that great.

Damage estimates include contents as well. Also cleanup of said contents. Even if it wasnt directly damaged in the fire, all fabrics (clothing, draperies, furniture) must be cleaned. All surfaces have to be washed due to soot from the fire. It all adds up. Experienced a very small basement fire in 1980's & damages were estimated at $20,000. Only replacement was hot water heater. Remainder of costs was cleanup.