How Important are Assessments for Upholding Resale Value?

"Indeed, the most important thing that any individual homeowner can do to protect the value of his biggest asset is to see that the house is always kept in good repair. There's no price bonus for the best-kept house on a shabby block, but there's a big discount on the worst house in a good neighborhood."

The above is from the online version of the Wall Street Journal, in an article titled "Read This Before You Remodel" on January 6, 2009.

Here is a link to the original article, but it may only be accessible to those who are subscribers:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123120680932356151.html