Understanding AppraisalsTheir home's purchase can be the most important financial decision some of us might ever encounter. Whether it's a main residence, a second vacation property or a rental fixer upper, purchasing real property is a detailed financial transaction that requires multiple people working in concert to see it through. You're probably familiar with the parties having a role in the transaction. The real estate agent is the most familiar face in the exchange. Then, the mortgage company provides the money required to bankroll the exchange. And the title company makes sure that all requirements of the exchange are completed and that a clear title passes from the seller to the buyer. So, who makes sure the property is worth the amount being paid? This is where the appraiser comes in. We provide an unbiased opinion 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 ascertain an accurate status of the property, it's our duty 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, and so on, to ensure they indeed are present and are in the condition a typical buyer would expect them to be. To make sure the stated size of the property is accurate and convey the layout of the home, the inspection often requires creating a sketch of the floorplan. Most importantly, we identify any obvious features - or defects - that would have an impact on the value of the house. Following the inspection, we use two or three approaches to determining the value of the property: paired sales analysis and, in the case of a rental property, an income approach. 
Cost ApproachHere, the appraiser pulls information on local building costs, labor rates and other elements to ascertain how much it would cost to replace the property being appraised. This value usually sets the upper limit on what a property would sell for. It's also the least used method. 
Sales ComparisonAppraisers become very familiar with 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 being appraised. 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 are more accurately in line with the features of subject.
A valid 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 valuing features of homes in Woodland Hills and Los Angeles, All City Appraisal is second to none. This approach to value is typically given the most weight when an appraisal is for a home purchase. Valuation Using the Income ApproachIn the case of income producing properties - rental houses for example - we may use a third way of valuing real estate. In this situation, the amount of income the property yields is taken into consideration along with income produced by nearby properties to determine the current value. Coming Up With The Final ValueCombining information from all approaches, the appraiser is then ready to stipulate an estimated market value for the property at hand. The estimate of value at the bottom of the appraisal report is not always what's being paid for the property even though it is likely the best indication of a property's valuePrices can always be driven up or down by extenuating circumstances like the motivation or urgency of a seller or 'bidding wars'. But the appraised value is often used as a guideline for lenders who don't want to loan a buyer more money than they could get back in the event they had to sell the property again. The bottom line is, an appraiser from All City Appraisal will guarantee you discover the most fair and balanced property value, so you can make profitable real estate decisions. |