Many are convinced that the economy is the major factor affecting real estate appreciation. Clearly, there are a handful of issues on a national level that influence your property's value: unemployment, interest rates, the stock market, and more. But the most influential factors that determine your home's value are specific to the local Puyallup economy and housing market.

Location in a community - Being close to schools, jobs and amenities like shopping, restaurants and entertainment is a big deal to a lot of us and will greatly influence home values. So when it comes to keeping their value, these communities typically appreciate better than others.

Recent sales - Your real estate agent should give you facts and figures on the recent real estate sales in the neighborhoods that you're asking about. You'll want to know average time on market, selling versus listing price and more.

The appreciation history - Is the neighborhood thought of as desirable because of its location or affordability? Have property prices increased or decreased over the past 5-10 years?

Local economy - Is there a fair blend of job types in an area, or does it rely upon just one industry? Have companies moved into or away from an area? Are local businesses hiring? These items play a role.