Comprehending AppraisalsPurchasing real estate is the most important financial decision many of us may ever make. Whether it's a primary residence, an additional vacation property or one of many rentals, purchasing real property is a detailed transaction that requires multiple people working in concert to see it through. Most of the parties involved are very familiar. The real estate agent is the most familiar entity in the exchange. Next, the mortgage company provides the money needed to bankroll the deal. And the title company makes sure that all areas of the sale are completed and that the title is clear to transfer to the buyer from the seller. So, what party is responsible for making sure the value of the property is consistent with the amount being paid? This is where the appraiser comes in. We provide an unbiased estimate of what a buyer might expect to pay — or a seller receive — for a property, where both buyer and seller are informed parties. A licensed, certified, professional appraiser from All City Appraisal will ensure, you as an interested party, are informed. The inspection is where an appraisal startsTo determine the true status of the property, it's our responsibility to first complete a thorough inspection. We must see aspects of the property first hand, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, living areas, etc, to ensure they truly exist and are in the condition a typical person would expect them to be. The inspection often includes a sketch of the floorplan, ensuring the square footage is proper and conveying the layout of the property. Most importantly, the appraiser looks for any obvious features - 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: a sales comparison, a replacement cost calculation, and an income approach when rental properties are prevalent. 
Replacement CostHere, we analyze information on local construction costs, the cost of labor and other elements to figure out how much it would cost to build a property comparable to the one being appraised. This estimate commonly sets the upper limit on what a property would sell for. The cost approach is also the least used predictor of value. 
Sales ComparisonAppraisers become very familiar with the subdivisions in which they work. They thoroughly understand the value of specific features to the residents of that area. Then, the appraiser looks up recent sales in close proximity to the subject and finds properties which are 'comparable' to the real estate in question. By assigning a dollar value to certain items such as fireplaces, room layout, appliance upgrades, extra bathrooms or bedrooms, or quality of construction, we add or subtract from each comparable's sales price so that they more accurately match the features of subject property.
After all differences have been accounted for, the appraiser reconciles the adjusted sales prices of all the comps and then derives an opinion of what the subject could sell for. When it comes to valuing features of homes in Woodland Hills and Los Angeles, All City Appraisal is your local authority. The sales comparison approach to value is usually given the most weight when an appraisal is for a home exchange. Valuation Using the Income ApproachIn the case of income producing properties - rental houses for example - we may use a third method of valuing a property. In this scenario, the amount of revenue the property generates is taken into consideration along with income produced by nearby properties to give an indicator of the current value. Arriving at a Value ConclusionAnalyzing the data from all approaches, the appraiser is then ready to stipulate an estimated market value for the property in question. It is important to note that while the appraised value is probably the best indication of what a property is worth, it probably will not be the final sales price. There are always mitigating factors such as the seller's desire to get out of the property, urgency or 'bidding wars' that may adjust the final price up or down. But the appraised value is often employed as a guideline for lenders who don't want to loan a buyer more money than they could recover in case they had to sell the property again. The bottom line is, an appraiser from All City Appraisal will guarantee you attain the most fair and balanced property value, so you can make the most informed real estate decisions. |