When do I need a real estate appraiser?

Using various resources, including the multi-list service, realtors, county records, and current neighborhood comparables, appraisers assign values to houses and buildings.  There are two basic types of appraisers – those who work only on residential properties, and those who work on commercial properties.  (Commercial properties are buildings which are zoned as business properties, rather than residential.)

Most people seldom have a need for a commercial appraiser, but every time you buy or sell a house, a residential appraiser is often involved.  If you are the seller, you might want to contact an appraiser to set the value of your home when it’s listed.  If you are the buyer, you want to be sure the amount you’re ready to pay is close to the actual market value of the house.

Other times you might contact an appraiser would be for refinancing a mortgage.  Appraisers will come and look at your neighborhood and the condition of your home (among other things) to determine if your house has increased in value or not.  People also call appraisers for estate liquidations, divorces, deaths, lawsuits – any time when the value of a house needs to be determined.  One resource for finding an appraiser in your area is to check out www.appraiserusa.com.