How can I determine the "fair market value" of my rental property from over a year ago, when I began renting it out? Can I use Zillow or Redfin estimates?

[fjordlander]

I started renting out my personal single family home last year, at the beginning of 2018. Turbotax is asking me to "Fill in the fair market value of your rental property on the date it was ready and available to rent." I take it this is referring to the market sale value of the property for calculating depreciation, not the monthly market rent. 

How can I determine the historical fair market value in a way that is acceptable to the IRS? I don't have an appraisal from that time period. Can I use a historical market value estimate from Zillow or Redfin? They are quite different. Should I just take the lower one to be safe?

[fjordlander]

On further reading I gather that for figuring the cost basis for depreciation I need to use the LOWER of (1) fair market value at the time I converted the property to a rental, or (2) my original purchase costs for the property + improvements/losses, etc. Since I've owned the property for 5 years before renting it, and it appreciated quite a bit in that time, it appears I'll end up having to use the adjusted cost basis anyway as it is lower than fair market value.

[Cindy0H · Accepted solution]

You are exactly right. FMV is the the market sale value of the property for calculating depreciation, not the monthly market rent. 

When you convert a property from personal use to a rental the property's Fair Market Value is the amount a willing buyer would pay and a willing seller would accept when neither is compelled to buy or sell - an "arm's length" transaction.

If you need an estimate of Fair Market Value for your property, check with a local Realtor (best choice) or look up similar properties in your area on Zillow.com (may be inflated). The lower value would probably be a good choice.

[fjordlander]

Thank you. As a first-time landlord, this is the first time taxes have been tricky enough I'm not sure I can do it on my own with Turbotax.