ASAP Appraisal, LLC has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"


	ASAP Appraisal, LLC is always willing to answer any questions you might have about appraisals in Washington and Franklin County. Don't hesitate to contact us today.

Define the term "Appraisal"
Describe what an appraiser does
What would cause me to require services from ASAP Appraisal, LLC?
How is an appraiser different than a home inspector?
My agent performed a CMA for me. Is that the same as an appraisal?
What are the contents of an appraisal report?
After completing the report, how can I have confidence that the final number is veritable?
How are appraisers certified?
Who hires an appraiser?
Where does ASAP Appraisal, LLC get the data used to estimate values in Franklin County or other areas?
Why should I hire a licensed appraiser?
What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it?
How do I get ready for the appraiser?
What is "Market Value?"
Does the appraisal belong to the bank or the consumer?
Which home renovations add the most to the price?

Define the term "Appraisal" (Back to top)

An appraiser provides an evaluation that leads to an opinion of value. This opinion or estimate is arrived at by a formal method that commonly utilizes three "common approaches to value". The Cost Approach is one of the methods that real estate appraisers use to find the value of a property; it involves discerning what the improvements would cost minus physical depreciation, plus the land value. Another of the approaches is the Sales Comparison Approach - which involves discovering a comparison to other similar nearby properties which have recently sold. Usually, the Sales Comparison Approach is the most accurate indicator of market value of a home. One of the least common approaches in appraising houses is the Income Approach, which is generally used to determine the value of a property based on what an investor would pay based on the income produced by the building.

Describe what an appraiser does (Back to top)

An appraiser produces a professional, unbiased opinion of market value, to be used in making real estate transactions. Appraisers reveal the details of their investigation in appraisal reports.

What would cause me to require services from ASAP Appraisal, LLC? (Back to top)

There are many reasons to obtain an appraisal from ASAP Appraisal, LLC with the most common reason being real estate and mortgage transactions. A few other reasons for purchasing an report include:

If you are applying for a loan.
If you would like to lower your property tax burden.
To show a homeowner has 30% equity and remove Primary Mortgage Insurance.
To fight high property taxes.
If you need to take care of an estate.
To provide you an edge when purchasing a home.
To find the most probable property value when putting your home on the market.
To ensure parties are provided just compensation in eminient domain cases.
Because an official agency such as the IRS requires it.
If you are ever involved in a civil case.

Click here for a more extensive explanation of the process involved in getting an appraisal.

How is an appraiser different than a home inspector? (Back to top)

Appraisers do not do provide home inspections and are not home inspectors. A third-party home inspector will investigate the structure of the house, from the top to the foundation. Generally, a home inspection report will explain the amenities and the requirements of the home: air conditioning (weather permitting), electrical functions, the condition of the heating system, the plumbing; then the structural capacity of the home such as the attic, exposed insulation, walls, floors, ceilings, windows, then the foundation, basement and other visible structures.

My agent performed a CMA for me. Is that the same as an appraisal? (Back to top)

To be honest, they share nothing in common. The CMA depends on indefinite local market trends. An appraisal is based on comparable sales that can be verified by records. The appraisal report will also contain location and building values. All a CMA does is generate a "ball park figure." Delivering a defensible and careful analysis, an appraisal will give a clear opinion of value.

The credentials of the person behind the report is actually the most significant difference between a CMA and an appraisal. Real estate agents, who may not have a complete understanding of valuation methods or the entire market, generate CMA's. A certified, state licensed professional who bases a career on valuing properties in and around Franklin County is behind the appraisal. Likewise, the agent has something at stake since they get a commission based on the property's selling price - their commission - whereas the appraiser is bound by a code of ethics to accept a flat fee for work they perform, regardless of their outcome.

What are the contents of an appraisal report? (Back to top)

The main objective of an appraisal document is to provide a value opinion, and depending on the scope of the report, one will customarily see the following:

The client and other intended users.
How the appraisal is supposed to be used.
The purpose of the assignment.
The type of value reported and a definition of that value.
The effective date of the appraiser's opinions and conclusions.
Characteristics of the property that have a bearing on the value, including: location, physical attributes, legal attributes, economic attributes, the property rights in question, and non-real estate items included in the valuation, such as personal property, permanent equipment installations and even intangible items.
All known easements, restrictions, encumbrances, leases, reservations, covenants, contracts, declarations, special assessments, ordinances, and other items of a similar nature.
Division of interest, such as fractional interest, physical segment and partial holding.
What was entailed in the process of completing the assignment.

For a more comprehensive look at what goes into an appraisal report click here: Sample Appraisal Report

After completing the report, how can I have confidence that the final number is veritable? (Back to top)

In the documentation of an appraisal, each appraiser must see to it that each of the items below are covered:

That the information analysis contained in the appraisal was suitable.

Whether individually or collectively, there were no significant errors contained in the appraisal, nor any material details left out.

That appraisal services were rendered in a careful and judicious manner.

That a trustworthy, defensible appraisal report was communicated.

To become a state licensed appraiser, there are strenuous education requirements as well as real world experience that must be logged - all with the objective of gaining the skills required to render unbiased value opinions. Plus, appraisers must obey a strict industry code of ethics and comply with national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The rules for working up an appraisal and reporting its results are insured by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

(Back to top) Regulations regarding licensing and certification of Real Estate Appraisers vary from state to state. In general, licensing and certification is commonly associated with many hours of classroom study, tests and experience working under a supervisor. Once licensed, he/she must then complete continuing education courses in order to keep the license up to date. To see the specific requirements for any state click here.

Who hires an appraiser? (Back to top)

Most of the time, appraisers are employed by lenders to estimate the value of a home involved in a loan transaction. Appraisers also provide opinions for legal settlements, tax matters and investment decisions.

Where does ASAP Appraisal, LLC get the data used to estimate values in Franklin County or other areas? (Back to top)

One of the primary tasks an appraiser must accomplish is to collect data. Data can be classified as either Specific or General. Specific data is collected from the home itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specific data are gathered by the appraiser during an inspection.

General data is collected from a numerous places. To research recent sales to be used as "comps", we typically go to the local Multiple Listing Service. Tax records and other public documents reveal actual sales prices in a market. Appraisers often have to report when a property is in a flood zone, so that information is retrieved from a FEMA data outlet such as a la mode's InterFlood service.

And most importantly, the appraiser assimilates general data from his or her past experience in creating appraisals for other houses in the same market.

Why should I hire a licensed appraiser? (Back to top)

Any time the value of your home or other real property is being used to make a significant financial decision, an appraisal helps. For those selling a home, you'll want to determine the price that gets you the most profit but doesn't leave your home on the market too long; an appraisal can help with that. When buying, be sure you're not overpaying by commissioning an independent appraisal. If you're engaged in an estate settlement or divorce, it ensures that property is divided fairly. Simply put, a home is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Don't make decisions in the dark with a professional appraisal.

What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it? (Back to top)

PMI is an acronym for Private Mortgage Insurance. It protects the lender in the event a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the market price of the house is less than the balance of the loan. Once you can prove the amount you owe on your home is less than 80% of the home's market value, you can make a case to your lender to drop the PMI.


	Did you secure your mortgage with less than 20% down? Call ASAP Appraisal, LLC today at 6362399808. You may be able to cancel your Private Mortgage Insurance premium.

How do I get ready for the appraiser? (Back to top)

The first step in most appraisals is the home inspection. What this entails is the appraiser, after setting up an appointment, personally going through the home - recording the layout of the rooms, taking photos and documenting the general status of its features. The best thing you can do to help is make sure we have easy access to the exterior of the house . Trim any landscaping and move any items that would get in our way while we measure the structure. Indoors, make sure we can get to appliances like furnaces and water heaters.

To help expedite our work as well as ensure a more accurate report, attempt if possible to have the following items:

A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available).
List of personal property to be sold with the home.
Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo agreements or fees .
A list of any major home improvements and upgrades, the date of their installation and their cost (for example, the addition of Energy efficiency upgrades or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).
A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.

What is "Market Value?" (Back to top)

In real estate appraising, Market Value (as opposed to Fair Market Value) is commonly defined as:

"The most probable price (in terms of money) which a property should bring in a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller each acting prudently and knowledgeably, and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus. Implicit in this definition is the consummation of a sale as of a specified date and the passing of title from seller to buyer under conditions whereby: the buyer and seller are typically motivated; both parties are well informed or well advised, and acting in what they consider their best interests; a reasonable time is allowed for exposure in the open market; payment is made in terms of cash in United States dollars or in terms of financial arrangements comparable thereto; and the price represents the normal consideration for the property sold unaffected by special or creative financing or sales concessions granted by anyone associated with the sale."

Does the appraisal belong to the bank or the consumer? (Back to top)

For mortgage transactions, the lender orders the appraisal, either directly or through a third party. Even though it's the buyer that eventually pays for the report, the lender is the intended user. The buyer is entitled to a copy of the report - it's usually included with all the other closing documents - but is not allowed to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.

It's different when it's the homeowner engaging the appraiser for things outside securing a mortgage. In these cases, the appraiser may stipulate the purpose of the appraisal; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not noted otherwise, the home owner can do whatever they want with the appraisal.

Which home renovations add the most to the price? (Back to top)

It really depends on the market. For example, adding a central air conditioner in to a home in the South may add significant value, while putting one in a home near the Pacific Northwest might not have much impact.

No matter where you go, however, renovating a kitchen is almost always a safe move. One recent study revealed that putting $20,000 into a kitchen remodel would add about $17,500 to the value of the home - or about an 88% return on investment. Bathrooms were second, returning 85%. Adding bedrooms and baths can also increase the value of your home (when done well) as long as your home doesn't then become atypical for your neighborhood in terms of size.