Comprehending Appraisals

Purchasing a home can be the most serious investment most people may ever make. Whether it's a primary residence, an additional vacation property or an investment, purchasing real property is a detailed financial transaction that requires multiple people working in concert to make it all happen.

It's likely you are familiar with the parties having a role in the transaction. The most familiar person in the exchange is the real estate agent. Then, the lender provides the financial capital needed to bankroll the exchange. And ensuring all aspects of the exchange are completed and that the title is clear to transfer to the buyer from the seller is the title company.

To learn more about appraising, click here to see a short video or call us today to talk about your specific property.

So, who makes sure the value of the real estate is in line with the purchase price? This is where the appraiser comes in. We provide an unbiased opinion of what a buyer could expect to pay — or a seller receive — for a parcel of real estate, where both buyer and seller are informed parties. A licensed, certified, professional appraiser from Tri County Appraisal LLC will ensure, you as an interested party, are informed.

The inspection is where an appraisal begins

Our first task at Tri County Appraisal LLC is to inspect the property to ascertain its true status. We must see aspects of the property first hand, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, amenities, etc., to ensure they really are there and are in the condition a reasonable person would expect them to be. To make sure the stated size of the property is accurate and describe the layout of the house, the inspection often includes creating a sketch of the floorplan. Most importantly, the appraiser identifies any obvious amenities - or defects - that would affect the value of the property.

After the inspection, an appraiser uses two or three approaches to determining the value of the property: sales comparison and, in the case of a rental property, an income approach.

Cost Approach

Here, the appraiser analyzes information on local building costs, the cost of labor and other factors to determine how much it would cost to construct a property similar to the one being appraised. This estimate often sets the upper limit for which a property would sell. It's also the least used predictor of value due to the cost of labor and building materials.

Sales Comparison

Appraisers can tell you a lot about the subdivisions in which they appraise. They innately understand the value of specific features to the people of that area. Then, the appraiser looks up recent sales in the neighborhood and finds properties which are 'comparable' to the home in question. Using knowledge of the value of certain items such as upgraded appliances, extra bathrooms, additional living area, quality of construction, lot size, we adjust the comparable properties so that they more accurately match the features of subject.

  • If, for example, the comparable has a large custom outdoor entertainment area and the subject has a typical patio or deck, the appraiser may deduct the value of the large custom outdoor entertainment area from the sales price of the comparable.
  • However, in the case where the subject has something such as an extra half bath that a comparable doesn't have, the appraiser might add the value of that bath to the comparable property.

A true estimate of what the subject might sell for can only be determined once all differences between the comps and the subject have been evaluated. When it comes to knowing the true worth of features of homes in Ottawa, Erie, and Sandusky counties Tri County Appraisal LLC is your local authority. The Sales Comparison Approach to value is most often awarded the most weight as it more closely reflects the market's current attitude towards value.

Valuation Using the Income Approach

A third way of valuing a house is sometimes used when a neighborhood has a reasonable number of renter occupied properties. In this case, the amount of revenue the property produces is factored in with income produced by similar properties to determine the current value.

Arriving at a Value Conclusion

Analyzing the data from all applicable approaches, the appraiser is able to determine a fee simple market value opinion for the property at hand. It is important to note that while this value opinion is probably the most accurate indication of what a house is worth, it may not be the final sales price. There are always mitigating factors such as the seller's desire to get out of the property, urgency, that may adjust an offer or listing price up or down, or 'bidding wars' that may increase the selling price of a house. But the appraised value is typically used as a guideline for lenders who don't want to loan a buyer more money than they could recover in the event they had to put the property on the market again. At the end of the day, Tri County Appraisal LLC will help you discover the most fair and balanced property value, so you can make the most informed real estate decisions.