FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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WHAT IS AN APPRAISAL AND WHY DO I NEED ONE?

Appraisals are independent, unbiased, third party opinions of value that aid people in any situation where the value of a property needs to be determined. These situations can range from mortgages, to listings, to any court related proceeding. The appraiser will provide a report that presents their research.

WHAT DOES AN APPRAISAL INVOLVE?

Appraisals involve a combination of market research and experience. In most cases an appraiser will visit your home to gain a better understanding of the condition, function, style, and so on. This information is critical during an appraiser's research of comparable sales. Appraisers are not home inspectors and are purely collecting more data about your property visually.

WHAT SERVICES DO YOU OFFER?

Gordon Appraisal offers appraisals for divorce, estate, probate, tax appeal/abatement, mortgages, refinances, PMI removal, and pre-listing appraisals which aid a salesperson or homeowner in pricing a property.

WHY ARE AUTOMATED OR NON-APPRAISER VALUATIONS UNRELIABLE?

Automated valuations such as Zillow lack the specialized knowledge appraisers have. 1. An appraiser will verify a property exists and is correctly identified (correct square footage or bed/bath count). 2. An appraiser takes into account unique features that add or detract to value such as more visually appealing locations, or proximity to features that detract from value such as a sewage treatment plant next door. 3. Automated services sometimes rely on public assessment records. Assessments may be years old, and are frequently significantly lower than market value. 4. Appraisers have the experience to find truly comparable sales. A computer may compare your home to one with similar features, but fail to see if that sale was in a less desirable area, fronts a four-lane 55 M.P.H street, is in a flood prone area, or even if it was sold under duress. 5. Appraisers are aware of subtle market changes that indicate appreciation or decline that computers cannot see.

WHAT MAKES YOUR APPRAISERS QUALIFIED?

All the appraiser at Gordon Appraisal are Certified Residential Appraisers. Requirements for certification include 200 hours of qualifying education, 2,500 hours of experience, and a bachelors degree or equivalent. On top of these requirements, trainees are typically mentored by appraisers with 5+ years of experience. Gordon Appraisal has been in business for 30 years, and if you choose to do business with us, you will be in good hands.