If you have a lot of family in OK, that can be a great place to start assessing since you have dedicated boots on the ground, as well as a reason to visit.Don't overthink the analyzing of markets when you are still figuring things out.

I'm in the process of getting a contractor assess the water damage. 

we are still assessing the rentals we manage but overall are just finding a few minor issues so far. 

This will help you assess the value and avoid surprises down the road.12.

They can't assess all the subjective data like overall layout, view from the living room window, the dogs next door that bark all day, the width of doorways, size of individual rooms, quality of kitchen cabinets and appliances, etc.The best thing to do is study your market regularly.

Typically, the adjustments I see on appraisals for basements are more flat rate adjustments. 10k is usually the number I've seen.What stinks is that there are a couple of model types that have below grade space where the builder, I'm sure, was trying to lower the taxes by having it below grade so the county wouldn't count that space in the assessment.

A reserve is unnecessary, but I still keep around $15,000 - $20,000 in my account.The point is, that you should sit down and assess your finances to determine what the worst-case scenario may look like, how much you would need to cover it without impacting your life, and whether you will need to build a reserve.

Ask the people in Florida who now have sky high insurance and mandatory unplanned assessments, how much value having a paid off property is. 

Also Condos are dealing with high special assessments.

Towns in New Jersey can be wildly crooked and will try to assess you for things they missed on prior renovations before you even bought the property, which technically they can do.