Local Real Estate Appraisers Provide The Most Accurate Property Valuations
Monday, January 25th, 2010Individuals who desire to establish the value of their property often turn to computer generated reports that are offered by several different websites. These sites use data collated from various resources to generate an estimate of what a property is worth. Unfortunately, the resources such sites draw on are often out-of-date or unreliable in today’s ever changing real estate market. While these reports may have some value in showing market trends, they are often quite inaccurate and cannot be used as a substitute for the expert services of a local real estate appraiser.
Many complex variables must be taken into account in order to accurately establish the fair market value of any property. A professional real estate appraiser is highly trained to track and apply such information to valuations of different types of property. A highly rated school system, economic development and surrounding neighborhoods can drastically affect a home’s value for the better. Also, run-down areas that are in the middle of a gentrification process may not be fairly appraised by a computer program, someone outside the area or lacking the requisite training. Local appraisers are the only ones who will have intimate familiarity with increasing or decreasing values and trends in their communities.
While obtaining a professional real estate appraiser to correctly determine a home’s value can be critical during a divorce, to value an estate, or to satisfy a lender requirement for a mortgage, choosing a reputable local appraiser that knows their market area can mean the difference between a good appraisal and a bad one. If an appraiser does not intimately know the market area they serve, many factors used to determine a home’s value can be left out of the process. Without knowledge of the current market area trends, property values given by an appraiser outside of their locale can be skewed.
Increasingly, banks and other financial institutions are using BPOs (Broker Price Opinions) to establish a home’s value in an attempt to handle the untenable numbers of foreclosed homes. Rather than paying appraisers for a home’s valuation, BPOs are completed by real estate brokers. While BPOs should be more accurate than computer generated reports in determining a property’s value, there is much disagreement in the real estate community as to whether or not brokers have enough training to value homes accurately for this purpose.
BPO services cost less than a uniform appraisal report; however, much like their computer generated counterparts, BPOs often omit crucial information. Many lenders do not even require an in-depth inspection or interior inspection of a home, for example. How can anyone hope for any type of realistic property valuation without an on-site inspection?
Appraisers are required to complete a stringent course of training through accredited educational facilities before they are licensed or certified. In some states, appraisers must also complete an apprenticeship under a more seasoned professional prior to being permitted to value property independently. A good appraiser will look at all aspects of the property, including square footage, room count, types of rooms, condition of property, lot size, neighborhood trends and comparable properties in the area that have sold recently, as well as comparable properties currently on the market.
While BPOs from real estate brokers or computer generated reports can be obtained more quickly than full appraisals, a complete appraisal report is lengthy and in-depth. The final report will delineate every factor that went into the final valuation of the property.
Finding an experienced appraiser in your area should not be too difficult. Local lenders or banks are an excellent source of referrals. Also, searching an online directory or your local yellow pages can be useful when searching for a professional appraiser.
In the San Francisco Bay Area, call on Market Appraisal Group for reliable and efficient real estate appraisal services for mortgage lending, estate planning, PMI removal, and divorce and settlement disputes. This article powered by SEO 2.0 Services