Valuation & Appraisal

Elements of Value (DUST)

The four things a property needs to have value: demand, utility, scarcity, and transferability, remembered as DUST.

Quick flashcard

What does Elements of Value (DUST) mean on the Texas real estate exam?

Answer: The four things a property needs to have value: demand, utility, scarcity, and transferability, remembered as DUST.

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Elements of Value (DUST) definition

For a property to have market value, four elements must be present: Demand, the desire and ability to buy; Utility, the usefulness of the property; Scarcity, a limited supply; and Transferability, the ability to convey ownership. The acronym is DUST.

If any one element is missing, the property has no market value, regardless of its other qualities.

Source basis

Definition checked against the official sources below on .

On the exam

All four DUST elements must be present. Remove any one and there is no market value.

Exam trap

A useful, scarce, and desired property still has no market value if it cannot be transferred.

Tested in

Value & Appraisal (11 of 80 National)

From definition to recall

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This definition is Texas real estate exam-prep education, not legal, tax, or professional advice. Verify current rules against the official source before relying on them for a real transaction. Back to the full glossary.