The fair market value (tax basis for depreciation) of a 1st-time rental property is the lesser of the adjusted basis of the property (its original purchase price plus cost of improvements) or the fair market value on the date it was placed into rental service.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) defines the tax basis of a rental property as the lower of fair market value or the adjusted basis of the property. You can calculate the tax basis of a rental property by calculating the fair market value of the property and then comparing it to the adjusted basis of the property.
See How to Calculate the Basis in Rental Property for further explanation and an example.
