Ask the home appraiser

Have you been curious about some of the finer points of home appraisals? I have -- and although I deal with them all the time, things change.  My office recently brought in an appraiser to speak, and here are some of the more pertinent questions and answers.  Remember, these answers were given for a Realtor's perspective.  The comments in italics are mine.

• Is there a difference between independent appraisers and bank approved appraisers? How do you get to be an approved appraiser? Answer: Banks get their appraisers from appraisal management companies.  For an appraiser to get approved he has to submit a resume package like anyone else looking for a job.
• What do you do if you get what you consider an undeserved bad appraisal? Should you challenge it with comparables or demand another appraisal? Answer: It is very much better to challenge it with your own comparables.  The management company will ask the appraiser to respond and defind his values.  (Personally, I always give an appraiser comparables before the actual appraisal.)
• On second appraisals (often done if there is a value question), does the 2nd appraiser know what the 1st appraiser came in at? No.
• How much does an appraiser credit a house for on the following? Answer: extra bedroom $5-10,000; extra bathroom $5-10,000, pool $10-15,000 (except in Beverly Hills, where it's $50,000 (the extra bedroom credit is much lower than I had previously thought).
• How do you define baths? What does it have to have? Answer: 1/4 bath means sink only, 1/2 bath means sink and toilet, 3/4 bath and full bath are the same for valuation purposes and mean shower and/or tub, sink and toilet.
• Under what circumstances does a convertible den count as a bedroom, assuming there is a closet? Answer: If it has a closet it counts as a bedroom if it is larger than 80 square feet.
• When looking for comps, would an appraiser extend the radius of surrounding comparables or would the appraiser go back further than 90 days. Answer: The appraiser would extend the mile radius.  He would NOT go back more than 90 days.
• What is the value of "multiple offers" on a property to the appraiser? For the appraised value, only the closed sales figures can be used.  Actives and Pendings are important for the appraiser to note on the appraisal as a matter of interest for the big picture and to see how the neighborhood is trending.
• Can you use new construction as a comp for non-new construction? Answer: no.
• Can you use non-new construction as a comp for new construction? Answer: yes, with an adjustment for the age value.
• What about a total remodel? Answer: No, you cannot use new construction as a comparable.
• Can you count unpermitted structures, unpermitted work, or unpermitted useage or square footage in the value? Answer: No.  All the appraiser can note is that the work was done in a workman-like manner and there is no health hazard.
• What can a seller do to make the property the most appealing? Answer: Appraisers are now required to take a picture of every room, so sellers should prepare the house as if they were having it re-photographed...it must look as good as possible for the appraiser.

Tale of two appraisals.

It was the best of appraisals, it was the worst of appraisals. And both were on the same house. Names and addresses are left out here to protect bla bla bla.

Backstory: the house was bought at a foreclosure auction in May, fixed up, and sold to my clients in July. Our purchase price is $525k.

The first appraisal came in at $425k. The appraiser was from out of the area. We knew we were in trouble when the cover page picture was of some other house. And two comps used were on major streets, not residential streets. What happens when an appraisal comes in so low? The lender will only loan 80% of the appraised value.

The second appraisal was done two weeks later after the clients switched lenders. The appraiser used realistic comps. And the value came in at $525k. Not only will the bank loan more money on this property, but my buyer clients are relieved that the house is currently worth what they agreed to pay for it.

How can two appraisals be so different? The answer may have to do with new appraisal regulations. Banks and lenders now have to order their appraisals from pools of appraisers, rather than just calling individuals they've worked with before. And these pools are undercutting each other on price. So what you get are inexperienced appraisers doing as much as they can, as fast as they can, as cheaply as they can. And often not doing a very good job in picking comparable properties. If you're in this situation, don't be afraid to ask for an appraisal review if you think that something about the appraisal just doesn't quite smell right.

Appraisals. Yes, they are still very tight.

Some buyer clients of mine opened escrow on a Burbank house two weeks ago. I received a call from the assigned appraiser this week. She suggested saving my clients the cost of the appraisal by cancelling it, because her preliminary work indicated the house would not appraise for the sales price.

The appraiser told me that the comparable sales indicated the house should sell for $25,000 to $30,000 less than the agreed-upon purchase price. She also informed me that all comparable sales have to be less than 90 days old, and no farther away than one mile from the subject property. This applies to both FHA and conventional loans. And, if the loan amount is over $417,000, there will be a second appraisal, from a different appraiser, prior to closing. She also had obtained a copy of the physical inspection report, and knew that the upgrades to the property would not make up for its physical issues.

Okay, the buyers and I knew the appraisal might be an issue. And we hoped that if that was the case, the sellers would come to their senses and negotiate a lower price with us. They didn't. And our escrow has cancelled.