Susan, all I can say is Wow. That is going to be a bit difficult to call. There are only 27 properties listed on the MLS currently in all of Sevier county and 0 in the town of Joseph. None of them even sort of resemble your property. An appraisal that is 5+ years old is not going to help much unfortunately. I would recommend having a new appraisal done. Most appraisers charge between 300$ and 400$ and you can usually find them in the phone book. Also, the local bank, credit union or mortgage lender should have connections to a couple in the area. This will give you the best shot at a range of current value. Kinda lame to have to lay out some cash up front, but its going to get you really close to what the buyer's lender is going to see as the value.

Small towns in low population counties can often have a very low property turn over rate and because of that, it can be tough to find comps on anything. I did notice a large amount of "to be built" properties listed that were around 145k which should help you if you go to market. Yours will be more affordable than some of the others around it, especially if the buyers don't need a larger home.

So, some suggestions to get maximum value and buyer interest: make it a cute as possible. Everything in the yard should be trimmed and neat. the grass should be green, the fence (if it has one) should be in good repair. Make sure you have some curb appeal going in your favor. People form major judgments about a house in the 10 seconds it takes to walk from the car to the front door. Outside, the house should tell people: "I'm a good value and you won't regret buying me".

On the inside: The house should smell good! I can't stress this enough. Think of what a turn off it is if you walk into a house and smell urine, musty wet smell, cigarette smoke, etc... Psychologically, people HATE bad smells. So air it out and get some air freshener, have the carpets cleaned or replaced. Whatever it takes to get it smellin' fresh. Even if you do little or no other repairs, this one will get you offers. If you are going to do repairs, remember the price range you will be in and try to focus on your potential buyers needs. Don't put granite counters or upgraded appliances. go with more in-expensive brands and finishes. Always remembering that functional and clean are the #1 most important factors in lower priced homes.

Good luck with your property.
Joe Patton
Century21 Golden Spike Realty
jkpatton@century21.com
801-391-9811