If you are planning to sell your home, it might be a wise decision to make a small investment in a professional appraisal.  Unless you study real estate values on a day to day basis, like a professional appraiser does, it's difficult for you to get a handle on real estate values.  We aren’t talking about how much you have invested in your home, how much you paid for it, or how much you want for it.  We’re talking about the true market value of your home, which could really pay off for you in the long run!

For-Sale-By-Owner (FSBO) / Pre-Listing Services

It's very hard to be objective about your own home because of your emotional attachment to it. A Professional Appraiser is objective and will tell you what you need to know, not just what you want to hear. In addition to helping you set a realistic selling price so your home will attract buyers, a professional appraisal is very valuable as a negotiating tool once you have a potential buyer. It gives you something concrete to show your buyer. It's an independent third party's opinion of your home's value, and not just you saying how much your home is worth. Potential buyers know you have an emotional attachment to your home and will be far more likely to give credibility to a professional appraiser's value opinion than yours.

More and more homeowners today are choosing to sell their homes FSBO (For Sale By Owner) and foregoing the help of a real estate agent.  Selling your home by this method can end up saving you a potential “hefty” commission (industry average is 5-7% of the home’s selling price).  Plus many FSBO sellers feel that they have more control in the process of selling their home since they’re in essence making all the rules.  But selling your home on your own will require a significant amount of "homework" if you're going to do it right.  One piece of advice that is consistently given by the experts in selling your home FSBO....Do NOT "Overprice" Your Home! It's very hard to be objective about your own home because of your emotional attachment to it.  A professional appraiser is objective and will tell you what you need to know, not just what you want to hear.

PRE-LISTING APPRAISAL
If you’re working with a real estate agent to list your property, more than likely they’ll provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that lists selected sales in your area as one of the first steps in determining what to set as the “Listing Price".  This step is vital if you're going to maximize your profit and minimize the home’s time on the market.

But even if you're working with the most experienced real estate agent, it's probably in your best interest to have an "objective" third-party's opinion of value prior to signing a Listing Agreement.  And that’s where we come in.  We can provide you with a pre-listing appraisal so both you and your agent have an accurate description of your home's features and a detailed analysis of the most recent and similar "comparable sales" or as they're commonly called, "Comps".  In addition to helping you set a realistic selling price so your home will attract buyers, a professional appraisal can:

• Be a very valuable negotiating tool once you have a potential buyer
• Impress buyer’s with written proof of your home’s condition inside and out
• Make you aware of problems and eliminate last-minute repair hassles that might delay a closing
• Decrease the chances of unknown problems that cause sales to fall through
• Eliminate the wait for the buyer or their mortgage company to get the appraisal done on their own

Many people are surprised when they find out that the market value of their home is much more than they thought, so investing in a professional appraisal actually allowed these people to receive several thousand more dollars than they thought they would when their home was sold.  Others have an inflated opinion of their home's value and an appraisal helped them to realistically price their home in order for it to sell.  An overpriced home will not attract buyers, which means no offers and no closing and that you have wasted valuable time, money, and efforts.

Refinance / Home Equity

Be sure that you request us if your lender asks you for YOUR choice of appraisal firms. More than likely we are already on their "approved list", and if not we will quickly provide your lender with the necessary documentation to become approved.

PMI Removal Appraisals

A popular money saver for homeowners in the last few years is to get the PMI removed from their mortgage loan, thus saving them money on their monthly payments. PMI stands for "Private Mortgage Insurance". Once your mortgage loan amount is down below 80% of the value of your home, in most cases you can apply to the lender to have the PMI removed from your loan, which will make your monthly payments go down. We are experienced in helping folks just like you rid themselves of unneeded and unwanted PMI insurance.

Field and Desktop Appraisal Review Services

Have you just received a copy of your appraisal and you'd like to have a professional "double-check" it for accuracy or do you need a second opinion without the expense and delay of waiting for a whole new appraisal?

• Appraisal Field Reviews: We'll check your appraisal for accuracy and provide exterior "field inspections" of the subject and comparable properties for maximum appraisal certainty. Perfect for any situation demanding a second opinion on value.
• Appraisal Desk Reviews: In a hurry and just want to "double-check" the facts? We'll use our extensive Internet research capabilities and office files to deliver reviews with the highest degree of precision in the industry.

CONSULTATION
Maybe you feel like you don't need an "appraisal" but you'd still like some help gathering local property and sales data.  Our reports help you to make an informed buying decision. We understand the complexities of buying a home and know what you are going through and will do our best to make it easier for you by giving you a high quality, professional appraisal that you can depend on!

When you order an appraisal report from us, you can expect. . . .

• Prompt response to your initial inquiry: We will give you personalized information for your particular appraisal need. Just tell us your situation and we will make suggestions. Quick turnaround time: Typically one week or less from the date the request is received. If you've chosen to receive a copy of your appraisal or consulting report via the Internet (EDI), you'll receive it within MINUTES of its completion.
• Appraisal and consulting reports formats to suit YOUR needs: When it comes to appraisal and consulting, "One size does NOT fit all!" We offer a variety of report types and delivery methods. Express mail too slow? We can deliver your report attached to a standard email, or notify you of an Internet site to download your report, the MINUTE it's completed!
• Quick response to follow-up questions: Our reports are clearly written, understandable, and meet or exceed the Uniform Standards of Professional Practice that governs the appraisal practice. If you have any questions regarding your appraisal, after you've read the report, we encourage you to email or call us!