By Ruben Gonzalez Jr
Prudential California Realty (DBA)
One
of the most important jobs for your real estate agent is to determine the value
of your home by developing a Comparable Market Analysis, which will be used in
pricing the home for the right amount.
If
your property isn’t attracting serious shoppers, your agent may recommend that
you invest in an appraiser to get a second pricing opinion, as the appraiser
will come in with an independent, unbiased opinion to help ensure your price is
correct for the market.
“An
appraisal is important in today’s market especially, because it’s an objective
and unbiased source of information,” says Michael H. Evans, president of Chico,
Calif.-based Evans Appraisal Service Inc. “The appraiser is an independent
professional who performs a service for a fee rather than for a commission and
is therefore not as invested as others are who are making pricing decisions.”
Appraisals
allow for homeowners and buyers to establish “fair market value.” In addition,
an appraisal allows a lender to know how much they can safely lend.
“Credible
opinions of value can help to stabilize the real estate market,” says Joseph C.
Magdziarz, president of Chicago-based Appraisal Institute, a global membership
association of professional real estate appraisers. “Appraisers today are doing
the same thorough, fact-based research and analysis they have always done.”
A
home appraiser will compare the condition of your house in relation to the
comparable properties in the neighborhood and will give you a reasonably good
idea where your house fits in relation to recent sales.
According
to Evans, a home appraisal can range in length from two pages to more than 100.
It will include details about the house, a description of the neighborhood and
side-by-side comparisons of similar properties. It will also contain an
evaluation of the area’s real estate market, notations of major problems with
the property that will affect its value and an estimate of the expected time it
will take to sell the property.
Earlier
this year, the Appraisal Institute released several tips for consumers and guidance
for homeowners and buyers seeking to ensure their sales are completed in a
timely manner.
·
Make sure the lender hires a
qualified appraiser (such as a designated SRA, SRPA or MAI member of the
Appraisal Institute). The lowest-priced appraiser does not necessarily equate
with the most qualified. This is a time to get the numbers right.
·
Accompany the appraiser during the
inspection of the property if possible. The more active of a participant you
are in the process, the more you will understand it, and be able to catch any
errors.
·
Request a copy of the appraisal report
from the lender. Federal law requires that you receive a copy of the appraisal
within 30 days.
·
Appeal the appraisal if
appropriate. Market conditions do change, especially in these economic times.
If you feel that new information may change the appraisal, be sure to speak up.
·
Have your agent ask the lender to
order a second appraisal by a qualified and designated appraiser.
·
File legitimate complaints with
appropriate state board or professional appraisal organizations.
Remember,
you needn’t agree with the outcome of an appraisal. You and your agent can work
with the figures and determine if you should change the sale price or not. A
home appraisal, no matter how scientific, still ends up being the opinion of
the appraiser and to some degree is a judgment call.
Ruben Gonzalez can be reached at (562) 507-0754 or E-mail me.
Prudential (dba) is an independently owned and operated member
of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential company. Equal Housing
Opportunity.
