Real Estate Appraiser in White Meadow - June 2023

Hello and welcome to my website. My name is Steve Whitby and I’m the owner/appraiser of Stephen Paul Appraisals. If you’re looking to hire an experienced residential home appraiser, which I presume is the reason you’re here, I believe I can help you. Listed below are some items you may want to go over before calling and/or ordering an appraisal.

How much does a home appraisal cost in White Meadow ?

Real Estate Appraiser

As with most appraisers, there is no set price. There is a range of prices that depends on the complexity of the assignment and the appraisal form to be used but if you’ve read any articles written by non-appraisers, they are either just guessing, telling you what an appraisal cost them, or found some online resource (ie; HomeAdvisor) that gives an average of what an appraisal may cost. Nothing replaces the actual appraiser giving you a quote as to what they will charge for their services. What I usually tell people is that with all the costs associated with a real estate transaction, getting an appraisal is still the lowest cost investment you can make, and having an appraisal in hand gives you the knowledge to better negotiate with potential buyers.

The bottom line, an appraisal costs what the appraiser quotes you, so go ahead and call the appraiser. I promise we don’t bite!

How do I order an appraisal?

To order an appraisal, first, you must fill out an appraisal request form then after filling out the form, go to the “set an appointment” page and see what days are available and set an appointment. After receiving the appraisal request form, I will be in contact either right after I receive the request with a phone call or email or it may be a day or two depending on my current workload. But to expedite your desire to get the appraisal completed as quickly as possible, you must fill out the appraisal request form first and foremost.

Appraisal Request Form Set Appointment

 

What do appraisers look for?

Real Estate Appraiser

In a nutshell and with regards to the home and property itself, appraisers primarily look at the quality of workmanship and materials and the condition of the improvements. Outside the nutshell, appraisers also look at the neighborhood and any external influences, market activity, and any positive or negative factors that may affect the overall marketability and value of a home.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked “do you count a messy house?” The answer is always a “No” but the thing to keep in mind is that an appraiser has to visually observe as much as possible during an inspection, so while appraisers “don’t count a messy house” they also have to make note of what they weren’t able to observe which can be a negative depending on the situation. One way to look at it is to ask yourself “if I put my house on the market tomorrow, would a buyer purchase it at a premium price (over my competition) in its current condition?” How you answer that will tell you what you need to do before the appraiser gets there. And trust me, I totally understand “lived-in” wear and tear! It’s inevitable and nearly impossible to keep up with. We live on a farm with lots of animals and have grandkids!

How long does it take to complete an appraisal?

Real Estate AppraiserI used to quote 24-48 hours after the inspection, but given the current market activity as of the date of this post (August 2020), I’m quoting at least 5-7 days after the inspection. In my 29+ years of appraising, I have never seen it this busy. When things do slow down, I will be quoting the 24-48 hour turn around times again. Once completed, I will email the client the report. I do provide printed out hard copies but there is an additional $10 charge for that service.

 

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