What Are the Components of an Appraisal?A home purchase can be the most important financial decision some people could ever consider. Whether it's where you raise your family, a seasonal vacation property or a rental fixer upper, the purchase of real property is a detailed transaction that requires multiple parties to make it all happen. You're probably familiar with the parties having a role in the transaction. The real estate agent is the most familiar face in the transaction. Next, the mortgage company provides the financial capital needed to finance the exchange. The title company makes sure that all aspects of the exchange are completed and that a clear title passes to the buyer from the seller. So, what party is responsible for making sure the value of the real estate is in line with the purchase price? In comes the appraiser. 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 All City Appraisal will ensure, you as an interested party, are informed. Appraisals start with the property inspectionOur first task at All City Appraisal is to inspect the property to determine its true status. We must physically see aspects of the property, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, living areas, etc, to ensure they really are there and are in the condition a reasonable person would expect them to be. To ensure 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, we look for any obvious features - or defects - that would have an impact on the value of the house. 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. 
Replacement CostThis is where we pull information on local construction costs, the cost of labor and other factors to derive how much it would cost to replace the property being appraised. This figure usually sets the upper limit on what a property would sell for. The cost approach is also the least used method. 
Paired Sales AnalysisAppraisers become very familiar with the neighborhoods in which they work. They thoroughly understand the value of certain features to the people of that area. Then, the appraiser researches recent sales in close proximity to the subject and finds properties which are 'comparable' to the home being appraised. By assigning a dollar value to certain items such as remodeled rooms, types of flooring, energy efficient items, patios and porches, or extra storage space, we add or subtract from each comparable's sales price so that they are more accurately in line with the features of subject.
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. At All City Appraisal, we are an authority in knowing the worth of particular items in Woodland Hills and Los Angeles County neighborhoods. This approach to value is commonly awarded the most importance when an appraisal is for a real estate purchase. Valuation Using the Income ApproachIn the case of income producing properties - rental houses for example - the appraiser may use a third method of valuing real estate. In this scenario, the amount of income the real estate produces is taken into consideration along with income produced by similar properties to determine the current value. ReconciliationCombining information from all approaches, the appraiser is then ready to document an estimated market value for the property at hand. The estimate of value on the appraisal report is not always the final sales price even though it is likely the best indication of what a property is worth. There are always mitigating factors such as the seller's desire to get out of the property, urgency or 'bidding wars' that may adjust an offer or listing price up or down. Regardless, the appraised value is often employed as a guideline for lenders who don't want to loan a buyer more money than the property is actually worth. The bottom line is, an appraiser from All City Appraisal will guarantee you get the most accurate property value, so you can make profitable real estate decisions. |