What Is The Difference Between Desktop Appraisals And Full Appraisals?
Many people are unsure whether they need a Desktop Appraisal or a Full Appraisal. Learn what the difference is so you can choose the right appraisal for your property.
Low Real Estate Appraisal? Here’s What To Do
As the real estate market continues to grow, more home buyers and sellers are coming across a common issue: An appraisal that is too low! After all, valuations must be based on recent comparable sales, or "comps," and in some cases the rising rate of home sales does not match the rates of homes sold previously. In this article, I'll cover what to do if you get a low appraisal. But first, you need to ask why? Why is the appraisal lower than your expectations? This may have occured because as home rates continue to recover from the housing crisis of
Celebrity Real Estate Update: Celeb-To-Celeb Sales
In my previous coverage of celebrity real estate, I spoke about buying homes at a premium price because the home may have a famous former owner. This week, after reading an intriguing article in the Hollywood Reporter about how celebrities sell homes to other celebrities, I decided to do a celebrity real estate update to address a niche market: Celeb-to-celeb sales. The article discusses how celebs love selling to other celebs. There are plenty of reasons as to why. For example, celebrities have special security needs like high walls and intricate alarm systems. Further, there are personal needs like gigantic walk-in closets and plenty
The Massachusetts Real Estate Market
Appraisers often swap stories. One thing that caught my ear recently was a conversation a member of our Boston, Massachusetts appraisal team was having with another appraiser. He was giving the other appraiser a take on the latest with the Massachusetts real estate market. I thought they were having a great dialogue. After all, why should appraisers keep the scoop to themselves? Maybe it's time to update the readers out there about what's new in the home of the Red Sox, the best New England clam chowder, baked beans, Cheers and of course, some of the best colleges our country has
Why Overpriced Homes Don’t Sell
Every neighborhood has that one home with a "for sale" sign on the lawn that's been standing there for several months. The home has been there for so long that even folks who go to every open house have seen it. Admit it, now you're starting to worry. You think to yourself, "If this home, which is well-kept and modern, isn't selling, does this mean that my home won't sell when I'm ready?" There's a reason why that home isn't selling and it's not what you think. What's the cause? Well, that home is probably overpriced. The seller set the
Are Free Home Appraisals A Good Way To Determine A Home’s Value?
There are tons of websites that provide free home appraisals. It sounds like a great idea, right? A free house appraisal? Stop right there. Sometimes, you really get what you pay for, and with a free home appraisal, you get nothing. Here's why: Home appraisal and valuation sites that offer "free" or "instant" services are a dime a dozen on the internet. This seems like a good value -- after all, it's free and it's instant. Getting the true market value estimate of your home never works that way. What these websites offer is actually an inaccurate value for the
What Happens At The Bank When An Appraisal Request Is Made For A Loan?
You have found the home of your dreams, congratulations! The paper work has been obtained and you're hoping for a closing date soon. Your next step should be to get an appraisal in order to understand the true value of your new home, and to get a loan from the bank. So what happens when a bank requests an appraisal for a loan? The majority of real estate appraisals are requested by mortgage companies to determine the property's purchase price for a loan. The appraiser is your safety net against spending more on your home than it’s really worth. It’s also a safety
Learn To Earn: The Best Appraisal Books Out There
The real estate appraisal profession is one that requires a good base of knowledge regarding home sales, real estate procedures and other useful bits of information. So, whether you are an agent, a real estate appraisal apprentice or a homeowner or seller who wants to learn about the field in an in depth manner, consider one our book selections for the best appraisal books out there to learn about the ins-and-outs of the business. Here they are, in no particular order: 1. Fundamentals of Real Estate Appraisal by William L. Ventolo, Martha R. Williams. Here's an Amazon review of the book by a reader: I
Real Estate Appraisal Schools
At Thanksgiving dinner, my nephew said he wants to go into the family business. He asked me to recommend some schools for him. I figured it might also be helpful for anyone else out there curious about becoming a real estate appraisal professional. So, here are some resources for you if you want to know more about the real estate appraisal business: Department of State, Division of Licenses has a great page that talks about licensing state to state and where some appropriate courses are offered. Click here to see more. Here are some schools that offer appraisal accreditation: Appraisal
Determining Real Estate Value During Divorce
As far as divorce proceedings go, for most couples, the home is a major shared asset. The first step in dealing with the splitting of assets is to determine the real estate value during divorce. Use An Appraiser An appraiser is the best way to help determine the value of your assets. They are better trained in this situation than a Realtor. Further, a tax assessment value is not actually an accurate method of determining value. Understanding The Difference Between Marital And Non-Marital Equity There are classifications of assets. Some get divided during a divorce and others don't. This is determined mainly
