Understanding AppraisalsPurchasing a home is the most important financial decision most people could ever encounter. It doesn't matter if a main residence, a seasonal vacation property or one of many rentals, purchasing real property is a complex financial transaction that requires multiple parties to see it through. Most of the participants are quite familiar. The real estate agent is the most known entity in the exchange. Then, the bank provides the financial capital necessary to fund the exchange. The title company ensures that all areas of the sale are completed and that a clear title transfers from the seller to the purchaser. So, who's responsible for making sure the property is worth the purchase price? In comes the appraiser. We provide an unbiased estimate of what a buyer might 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 Gage Appraisal Services will ensure, you as an interested party, are informed. Appraisals begin with the inspectionOur first task at Gage Appraisal Services is to inspect the property to determine its true status. We must physically view features, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, and so on, to ensure they indeed are present and are in the shape a typical buyer would expect them to be. The inspection often includes a sketch of the floorplan, ensuring the square footage is accurate and illustrating the layout of the property. Most importantly, we identify any obvious features - or defects - that would have an impact on the value of the property. After the inspection, an appraiser uses 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. 
Replacement CostHere, the appraiser analyzes information on local construction costs, labor rates and other factors to derive how much it would cost to build a property nearly identical to the one being appraised. This figure usually sets the upper limit on what a property would sell for. The cost approach is also the least used predictor of value. 
Sales ComparisonAppraisers are intimately familiar with the subdivisions in which they appraise. They thoroughly understand the value of particular features to the residents of that area. Then, the appraiser looks up recent sales in the area and finds properties which are 'comparable' to the subject being appraised. By assigning a dollar value to certain items such as square footage, additional bathrooms, hardwood floors, fireplaces or view lots (just to name a few), we adjust the comparable properties so that they are more accurately in line with the features of subject property.
A valid estimate of what the subject could sell for can only be determined once all differences between the comps and the subject have been evaluated. When it comes to associating a value with features of homes in Lansing and Allamakee, Gage Appraisal Services is your local authority. This approach to value is typically given the most weight when an appraisal is for a real estate sale. Valuation Using the Income ApproachA third way of valuing a house is sometimes used when an area has a reasonable number of renter occupied properties. In this situation, the amount of income the real estate produces is taken into consideration along with income produced by nearby properties to determine the current value. Putting It All TogetherAnalyzing the data from all approaches, the appraiser is then ready to put down an estimated market value for the property in question. The estimate of value on 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 valueThere are always mitigating factors such as seller motivation, urgency or 'bidding wars' that may adjust an offer or listing price up or down. Regardless, the appraised value is typically 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 Gage Appraisal Services will guarantee you get the most fair and balanced property value, so you can make profitable real estate decisions. |