Real Estate Appraisals are a necessary step in the home buying process. There is a lot of confusion out there regarding the truth about appraisals. Realtors, Buyers, Sellers and Investors are often confused about their purpose think of them as home inspections; but they aren't!
Sellers often think that a low appraisal for their home is the kiss of death, but that's not necessarily true. The more you learn about real estate appraisals beforehand, the better prepared you'll be to head off problems before they occur.
For example, I always made it a point to be on the premises whenever appraisals for my real estate transactions occured. I discovered that I could influence the appraisal price in subtle, but hugely profitable ways.
Here's what I mean! If I was selling a "fixer upper" and hadn't made any improvements yet I'd walk through with the appraisers and point out the things I was going to do to improve the properties to get maximum value before closing. They would in turn come back with a value that was "subject to the improvements being made", which was sometimes tens of thousands of dollars more than the "as is" value was!
Since very few people have the ability to pay for a house with cash, the appraisal is going to be necessary. A loan is never going to go through without an appraisal. The purpose of the appraisal is to establish the home's market value. The sales price will be based on the market value.
The main goal of the appraiser is to protect the lender. Lenders don't want to be stuck with property that is not worth its price tag, so the appraisal must be completed before the lender will approve the loan. The information contained in Real Estate Appraisals is invaluable to the lender. The lender will study the details of the appraisal before reaching a final decision.
The lender will often dictate the choice of appraiser. It might have one in house or through a contract with an independent appraiser. If you go with your own choice for appraiser, they may be subject to final approval from the lender.
Residential properties are normally appraised using either the sales comparison approach or the cost approach. When using the sales comparison approach, an appraiser compares the property to similar properties that have sold in the area and bases the market value on the comparables or comps. The cost approach is based on the costs to build, which means it is more appropriate for new properties.
The actual appraisal reports are very detailed. They contain information about the subject property along with comparisons of a few similar properties. There is an evaluation of the overall house market within the area. The appraiser will then list any issues that he or she feels might diminish the property's value.
The next component is a list of any serious problems like bad roofs or weak foundations. The appraiser then gives an estimate of the sales time for the house. Finally, the report will indicate the type of property.
It is important to note that the real estate appraisal is not the same thing as an inspection. The appraiser might make note of any problems they see, but they are not responsible for declaring if your home is in good condition or not. They are only responsible for assessing the property and determining the market value for the lender. A home inspection is a different process altogether.
Real estate appraisals only include the home, the land, and any improvements to the land. It does not cover any personal property that might be sold with the house. The buyers should purchase those items separately.
Everyone fears the possibility of a low appraisal. It happens all of the time, usually during closing. There are some things you can do to remedy this common but stressful situation. The buyer can make a larger down payment. If this is not feasible, the seller and buyer can negotiate the price some more. Additionally, the appraisal can always be disputed.
What all goes into an appraisal? Appraisers are looking at the condition and size of the house, its proximity to good schools, and the size of the lot. Appraisers do not look at dirty dishes or overflowing laundry baskets. They do care about chipped paint, broken windows, and appliances that don't work.
Real Estate Appraisals are not being conducted by just anyone off the street. Real estate appraisers are trained professionals licensed by the state in which they work. They are qualified for the work they do by completing state certification requirements like exams and continuing education courses. This line of work demands strong critical thinking skills and the ability to interact with different groups of people.
Get the appraisal thing right and you can close profitable, hassle free transactions. But if you get it wrong a good deal can go bad...fast!
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