Insights from A Home Appraiser

I asked our local property appraiser,  Kathleen Langfelder, about what she considers when assessing a home’s sale value.  Here’s her response:

What does the appraiser really do when appraising your house??  I can’t speak for all appraisers, but most do what I do.  First, I need to measure the house and see what kind of finish materials (hardwood, Pergo, granite, ceramic tile, etc.) are used.  I will probably ask you for approximate dates of any remodeling.  Pictures will be taken of several rooms including the kitchen and at least one bath as well as the exterior of the house and the street.  That’s the easy part.  I will research homes like yours that have sold in your neighborhood over the last six months, looking for similar size, room and bath count, age and site size.  Out here on the Coast, that can be pretty challenging.  Then I will go look at the houses that are the most similar and bracket your house’s size and other factors.  I may have to calculate market trends up or down to determine the stability and direction of the market values.  After all that, I can write my report and come to the conclusion of what your house is worth.

Good to know!! Thanks for your wisdom, Kathleen!