Are Home Inspections and Home Appraisals the Same Thing?

No, they are not!

Home inspections are an assessment of the property's structural integrity. Appraisals are an assessment of property value of the estimated real estate home value based on what is seen. Appraisers give an unbiased evaluation at arms-length of the true overall cost of a property after all factors have been tabulated. Appraisers do not test the major appliances and their functions, therefore, appraisals are brief, not thorough. However, an appraiser does measure the dimensions of the property inside and out and give an accurately measured size for a more accurate representation of the true real estate property value.

Appraisals also do an assessment of the surrounding market statistics from comparables, location, the neighborhood area, proximity to amenities offered, and compare their findings with the overall health of the real estate market.

In most cases, appraisers will not recommend fixes during an assessment of property value, mainly because they do not test appliances for workability and function and do not focus on the structural integrity of the home. The main focus for the appraiser is to establish a value of the property, which a home inspector will not.
Home inspections are more thorough and cautious in inspecting appliances, safety issues, and possible damage or potential problems. This may include testing for radon gas emissions, water quality, asbestos problems in the roof, and lead in the paint used inside and out. They also test for other possible toxic materials used on the home’s building structure.

Home inspectors will give you reasons and causes for issues in the home operations, unlike an appraisal. They will often inspect every accessible area, even crawl through crawl spaces and attics to find any unperceived problems in the home such as water damage, termite damage, and mold and evaluate them for safety and maintenance needs.

Typically, home appraisals are for lenders while home inspections are for buyers.
Lenders rely on appraisers to ensure that loans are not given out unless the assessed value of the property at least equals the loan amount. It is imperative to get an appraisal for loans on a property because banks are required by law to issue loans only to appraised properties.

Appraisals By Michael is a leading full-service appraisal firm with extensive knowledge of the real estate valuation process. We specialize in numerous types of appraisal services, including property (commercial and residential), bankruptcy, divorce, immigration, relocation, and estate matters throughout metro Atlanta's $477 billion real estate market. With 20 years of experience in the real estate market, our appraisers work to provide excellent valuation and consulting services to homeowners, financial institutions, law firms, and accounting firms. Our state-of-the-art appraisal methods allow us to provide customized, detailed reports within 1 to 2 business days, helping to simplify your appraisal experience with accuracy and expertise.

For a full list of services, please visit our Services page. For a list of our coverage areas, please visit our Coverage Area page.

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Posted in:General and tagged: appraisal home inspection home appraisals

Posted by Anne-Marie Boring on January 6th, 2020 1:30 PMLeave a Comment

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How To Avoid A Low Home Appraisal?

February 28th, 2017 2:23 PM

Whether you are a home seller or looking to buy, a low home appraisal could cost your deal to fall through.

Here’s a common scenario: You list your home for $350.000, you receive an offer of $275.000, you end up setting at a price of $300.000. An appraisal is done before closing and it comes in at $255.000. That’s $20.000 less than what the seller offered and $95.000 less than what you expected to receive. Not to mention that the $255.000 appraisal price is the maximum amount of which the lender is willing to lend.

Now, $35.000 is hanging in the balance. Does the seller pay the difference in cash? That would mean they have the extra cash laying around and are willing to pay above the appraised value of the home (not likely). And after you’ve already come down on the price in negotiation with the seller, you may not be willing to come down again so drastically.

Needless to say, the deal is shot and its back to the drawing board for you both.

Here are a few steps that could save you from the aforementioned scenario as a buyer or seller:

If you are a buyer, have your lender hire an appraisal from your county or neighborhood. An appraisal familiar with your area and knowing your area well could mean life or death to your deal.
Make sure the appraiser is qualified. Your appraiser should be certified by the state’s national board of real estate appraisers. An appraiser who belongs to a professional organization such as the Association of Georgia Real Estate Appraisers (AGREA).
Provide any information regarding your home, the neighborhood, and any recent comps you know of. This information won’t promise to change your appraisal value but it could be welcomed by your appraiser. The more information, the better.
As a seller, consider obtaining a pre-listing appraisal before you even list your home.
A pre-listing appraisal will provide you with a much more realistic market value and could save you from wasted time, energy and money in the future.

Low appraisals are typically seen during a declining housing market because of the lack of comparable homes in the area. Not having “comps” to compare your home to makes it difficult to determine the most accurate true market value. When the market is slow, good comps age fast, and with a rise in foreclosures, can result in appraisers have a hard time justifying the price you set.

To get in touch with an appraiser in your area or for more information click on one of the areas below closest to you:

Alpharetta|Brookhaven|Buckhead|Cobb
County|Dekalb County|Dunwoody|Fulton County|Gwinnett County|Marietta|S andy Springs

Getting an appraisal

Posted in:Home ownership and tagged: appraisal Home home inspection first time home owner

Posted by on February 28th, 2017 2:23 PMLeave a Comment

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6 Times Appraisers and Home Inspectors Were Left Speechless

February 17th, 2016 12:31 PM

When you find yourself in a profession that requires to poke around the innermost workings of a person’s home, you are bound to come across some unexpected extremities. While you may commonly be faced with a subtle indentation or loose floorboard, many inspectors and appraisers are delighted to find the occasional surprise. As with any job, unforeseen circumstances are often entertaining and break up the daily redundancy. We collected a few pictures taken by home inspectors and appraisers while on the job that surprised them at the time, and are bound to surprise you as well.

Do not pass "Go." - According to the homeowners, they pulled up there existing carpet to find this elaborate flooring resembling a Monopoly board.

Who needs a keg? - Sometimes there's no time for frivolous things like cups, kegs, trash cans, etc.

But, why? - We may not specialize in construction, but it doesn't take a professional to see that this garage is a bit problematic. Maybe it's built for a hovercraft.

Wait is this..? - Yes, this is a servant quarter. Often times in old houses, appraisers and inspectors will find hidden rooms in the home used for a variety of purposes. This particular room was used for servants.

"Want to see a dead body?" - Every family has its secrets, we try not to ask questions we really don't want to hear the answers to. "Why is there a pair of coffins in your attic?" is sure to pose unwanted results.