What is an Appraiser
An appraiser is a trained and independent professional who provides an unbiased opinion of a property’s value.
While many people associate appraisals with buying or selling a home, an appraisal can be needed for many different reasons—including real estate transactions, refinancing, estate planning, divorce, tax matters, relocation, and other situations where knowing a property’s market value is important.
How Does an Appraiser Determine Value?
An appraiser doesn’t simply look at a property and decide what it is worth.
The process involves researching the property and the local market, inspecting the property, analyzing comparable sales, and considering the characteristics that can influence value. These may include:
- Location and neighborhood
- Size and condition of the property
- Quality and age of construction
- Lot and land characteristics
- Improvements and amenities
- Recent comparable sales
- Current market conditions
- Any factors that may positively or negatively affect value
The appraiser then analyzes all of this information and develops a well-supported opinion of the property’s market value.
An Appraiser Is Not a Real Estate Agent
One important distinction is that an appraiser is not a real estate agent.
A real estate agent may provide an opinion of what a property could potentially sell for as part of a listing or marketing strategy. An appraiser’s role is different. An appraiser provides an independent, objective opinion of value, supported by market data and professional analysis.
The goal isn’t to arrive at the highest number—or the lowest number. The goal is to determine the most credible value supported by the available evidence.
Why Does an Appraisal Matter?
Real estate is one of the largest financial assets most people will ever own. Having a well-supported opinion of value can provide important information when making significant financial or legal decisions.
Whether you’re buying, selling, refinancing, settling an estate, dividing property in a divorce, or simply need to understand what a property is worth, an appraisal can give you a clearer picture of the market.
At Evans Appraisal we believe an appraisal should be more than just a number. It should provide you with confidence in how that number was reached.