Marlowe Appraisal, Inc. has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"


	Marlowe Appraisal, Inc. is prepared to answer any inquiries you might have about appraisals or real estate in Painesville and Lake County. Contact Marlowe Appraisal, Inc. today to learn how we can help solve your specific valuation problems.

Define the term "Appraisal"
What does an appraiser do?
Why would I request services from Marlowe Appraisal & RE Inc.?
Is an appraisal the same as a home inspection?
My agent performed a CMA for me. Is that the same as an appraisal?
What's in an appraisal report?
Once the report has been completed, what assurance is there that the final number is veritable?
How difficult is it to become certified?
Who are an appraiser's customers?
Where does an appraiser get the information used to estimate values in Lake County or other areas?
Why do I need a professional appraisal?
What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it?
How do I get ready for the appraiser?
How does an appraiser define "Market Value"?
Who has rights to the appraisal report?
How can I get the most ROI out of home improvements?

Define the term "Appraisal" (Top)

An appraisal is a thought process allowing the appraiser to come to an opinion of value. There are three "common approaches to value" which helps the appraiser arrive at this opinion or valuation. One of them is the Cost Approach - which is what it would cost to replace the improvements, minus physical deterioration and other factors, plus the land value. Another of the processes is the Sales Comparison Approach - which concerns making a comparable analysis to other similar properties within a close proximity which have recently sold. Being the most commonly used approach, the Sales Comparison Approach tends to be the most accurate and best indicator of market value for a house. The third approach is the Income Approach, which is of most importance in appraising income producing properties - it deals with estimating what an investor would pay based on the capital produced by the property.

What does an appraiser do? (Top)

An appraiser forumlates a fair and credible assessment of market value, often in the context of a real estate purchase. Appraisers present their professional investigation in appraisal reports.

Why would I request services from Marlowe Appraisal, Inc.? (Top)

There are a lot of reasons to purchase an appraisal with the most common reason being real estate and mortgage transactions. Other reasons for getting an report include:

If you are applying for a loan.
To lower your tax burden.
To show a homeowner has 30% equity and remove insurance.
To contest inflated property taxes.
If you need to take care of an estate.
To provide you an edge when purchasing a home.
To find an honest sales price when listing your home.
To defend your rights if your property is being taken by means of eminent domain in a condemnation case.
Because an official agency such as the IRS requires it.
It's possible you could be involved in a lawsuit - an appraisal will help.

For a more extensive explanation of the appraisal process click here.

Is an appraisal the same as a home inspection? (Top)

Appraisers do not do perform residential property inspections and are not home inspectors. A third-party home inspector will investigate the structure of the house, from the roof to the foundation. The usual property inspector's report will contain an evaluation of the condition of the property's heating systems, central air conditioning system (temperature permitting), interior plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, and accessible insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement, and visible structure.

My agent performed a CMA for me. Is that the same as an appraisal? (Top)

Frankly, they have nothing in common. The CMA depends on indistinct local market trends. Appraisals use comparable sales which are verifiable resources. The appraisal report will also include neighborhood and building costs. A CMA delivers a "ball park figure." An appraisal delivers a defensible and carefully documented opinion of value.

The credentials of the person behind the report is hands down the most significant difference between a CMA and an appraisal. Real estate agents write CMA's, and they don't always know the whole market or have specific competence when it comes to home valuation. A certified, state licensed professional who made their livelihood on valuing real estate in and around Lake County creates the appraisal. Moreover, the appraiser is an independent party, with no vested interest in the value of a home, unlike the real estate agent, whose income is tied to the price of the home.

What's in an appraisal report? (Top)

The main point of an appraisal document is to provide a value opinion, and depending on the scope of the report, one will customarily see the following:

Who engaged the appraiser and whose purposes the appraisal is to serve.
The intended use of the appraisal.
The reason for the assignment.
Precisely what "value" attribute is being reported and what that value means.
The effective date of the value opinion.
Characteristics of the property that have a bearing on the value, including: location, physical attributes, legal attributes, economic factors, the property rights valued, and non-real estate items included in the appraisal, such as personal property, trade fixtures and even intangible factors.
Any known easements, restrictions, encumbrances, leases, reservations, covenants, contracts, declarations, special assessments, ordinances, and the like.
Division of interest, such as fractional interest, physical segment and partial holding.
What was included in the activity of completing the assignment.

For a more detailed look at the work that goes into an appraisal report click here: Sample Appraisal Report

Once the report has been completed, what assurance is there that the final number is veritable? (Top)

In the documentation of an appraisal, each appraiser must ensure the following:

That the information analysis contained in the appraisal was suitable.

That crucial errors of omission or commission were not committed individually or collectively.

That appraisal services were done in a careful and cognizant manner.

That a believable, supportable appraisal report was communicated.

To become a state licensed appraiser, we must fulfill intense education and experience requirements that prepare us to formulate an unbiased opinion. Likewise, appraisers must abide by a strict industry code of ethics and observe national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The rules for developing an appraisal and reporting its results are insured by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

(Top) Regulations regarding licensing and certification vary from state to state. In general, licensing and certification is commonly associated with many hours of classroom study, tests and experience working under a supervisory appraiser. Once an appraiser is licensed, he or she must then complete continuing education courses so that the license doesn't expire. To see the specific requirements for any state click here.

Who are an appraiser's customers? (Top)

Mortgage lenders are an appraiser's typical client, requiring their services to ensure a home involved in a mortgage transaction is enough to cover a loan balance in the case of default. Attorneys and CPAs also retain the services of appraisers for asset division and estate settlements.

Where does an appraiser get the information used to estimate values in Lake County or other areas? (Top)

One of the primary tasks an appraiser performs is to gather data. Data can be divided into Specific or General. Specific data is gathered from the property itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specific data are noted by the appraiser during an inspection.

General data is gathered from a numerous places. To look up recent sales to be used as "comps", we typically use the local Multiple Listing Service. Tax records and other public documents reveal actual sales prices in a market. Flood zone data is gathered from FEMA data outlets, such as a la mode's InterFlood servers.

And last but not least, the appraiser gathers general data from his or her collective knowledge gained from doing assignments for other properties in the same market.

Why do I need a professional appraisal? (Top)

Any time the value of your home or other real property is being used to make a significant financial decision, an appraisal helps. For those selling a home, you'll want to determine the price that gets you the most profit but doesn't leave your home on the market too long; an appraisal can help with that. If you're buying, it makes sure you don't overpay. If you're engaged in an estate settlement or divorce, it ensures that property is divided fairly. Simply put, a house is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Don't make decisions in the dark with a professional appraisal.

What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it? (Top)

PMI is short for for Private Mortgage Insurance. This supplementary plan takes care of the lender in case a borrower is unable to pay on the loan and the market price of the home is less than the loan balance. Once you can prove the amount you owe on your home is less than 80% of the home's market value, you can make a case to your lender to drop the PMI.


	Has your home value appreciated since you first purchased? Call Marlowe Appraisal, Inc. today at (440) 477-4404 to see if you can save money by removing your Private Mortgage Insurance payment.

How do I get ready for the appraiser? (Top)

We begin with an inspection of the home. During this process, the appraiser will come to your home and measure it, determine the layout of the rooms inside, confirm all aspects of the home's general condition, and take several photos of your house for inclusion in the report. On the home's interior, pick up any clutter and make sure we can access things like furnaces and water heaters. In the yard, trim any bushes so we can be free to get an accurate measurement of exterior walls.

You can make things go faster and improve the quality of the appraisal report by having the following things on hand:

Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.
A list of any personal property that is part of the home and you intend to be sold with the home, such as an oven, or a washer and dryer, if applicable.
Any inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, septic systems and your well.
Brag sheet that lists major home improvements and upgrades, the amount of their purchase and date of their installation (for example, the addition of Insulation or roof repairs) and permit confirmation (if available).
Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.

How does an appraiser define "Market Value"? (Top)

In real estate appraising, Market Value is commonly defined as:

"The most probable price (in terms of money) which a property should bring in a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller each acting prudently and knowledgeably, and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus. Implicit in this definition is the consummation of a sale as of a specified date and the passing of title from seller to buyer under conditions whereby: the buyer and seller are typically motivated; both parties are well informed or well advised, and acting in what they consider their best interests; a reasonable time is allowed for exposure in the open market; payment is made in terms of cash in United States dollars or in terms of financial arrangements comparable thereto; and the price represents the normal consideration for the property sold unaffected by special or creative financing or sales concessions granted by anyone associated with the sale."

Who has rights to the appraisal report? (Top)

In most real estate transactions, the appraisal is ordered by the lender. Even though it's the buyer that eventually pays for the report, the lender is the intended user. The buyer is certainly entitled to a copy of the appraisal - it's usually bundled with all the other closing documents - but is not entitled to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.

It's different when it's the homeowner engaging the appraiser for things outside securing a mortgage. In these scenarios, the appraiser may stipulate the purpose of the appraisal; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not stipulated otherwise, the home owner can do whatever they want with the appraisal.

How can I get the most ROI out of home improvements? (Top)

A home's location - what city it is in and even what part of that city - is key to this popular question. For example, if you're in a neigborhood of small to medium priced homes, a media room may not be something people in that price range want

As a rule, the most value returned from renovating a home comes in the kitchen. One recent study revealed that putting $20,000 into a kitchen remodel would add about $17,500 to the value of the home - or about an 88% return on investment. Bathrooms are right up there with kitchens, yielding 85%. Adding bedrooms and baths can also help the value of your home (when done well) as long as your home doesn't then become an oddball for your neighborhood in terms of size.