TERMS OF SERVICE


CANCELLATION 
To cancel an order, client must contact Appraisals By Michael via email or telephone as soon as possible and receive verifiable approval of cancellation from Appraisals By Michael. Please contact us by email, Phone or use our convenient form (below) to request the cancellation of an order. 
When pre-payment is received and the appraisal order is cancelled before inspection of the property, Client may be eligible for a 100% refund. 
If inspection has been completed and order cancelled within 12 hours, a “trip fee” of 50% of appraisal fee shall apply. If inspection has been completed and order cancelled after 12 hours but prior to completion, Client may be eligible for 30% refund of appraisal fee. 
If the report has been completed, the results have been delivered verbally to the client and/or submitted to Client by mail or email, no refund will be approved, partial or otherwise, for any reason. 

Client to indicate with reasonable specificity, the reason you are requesting a refund. Appraisals By Michael will make sure to review all requests for refunds in a timely manner to insure fairness and adequately resolve the matter sufficiently and without unnecessary costs or delay when it has been deemed proper to return funds collected for our services. 
 
NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES 
Nothing in this Agreement shall create a contractual relationship between the Appraiser or the Client and any third party, or any cause of action in favor of any third party. This Agreement shall not be construed to render any person or entity a third party beneficiary of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, any third parties identified herein.  
 
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS 
If the property appraised consists of proposed improvements, Client shall provide to Appraiser plans, specifications, or other documentation sufficient to identify the extent and character of the proposed improvements.  

PROPERTIES UNDER CONTRACT FOR SALE 
If the property appraised is currently under contract for sale, Client shall provide to Appraiser a copy of said contract including all addenda.  

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION
Client agrees to provide Appraiser with the documentation as indicated in Appendix A to this Agreement.  

SERVICES NOT PROVIDED
The fees set forth in this Agreement apply to the appraisal services rendered by Appraiser as set forth in this Agreement.  Unless otherwise specified herein, Appraiser’s services for which the fees in this Agreement apply shall not include meetings with persons other than Client or Client’s agents or professional advisors; Appraiser’s deposition(s) or testimony before judicial, arbitration or administrative tribunals; or any preparation associated with such depositions or testimony.  Any additional services performed by Appraiser not set forth in this Agreement will be performed on terms and conditions set forth in an amendment to this Agreement, or in a separate agreement.

CONFIDENTIALITY 
Appraiser shall not provide a copy of the written Appraisal Report to, or disclose the results of the appraisal prepared in accordance with this Agreement with, any party other than Client, unless Client authorizes, except as stipulated in the Confidentiality Section of the ETHICS RULE of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).  
 
CHANGES TO AGREEMENT 
Any changes to the assignment as outlined in this Agreement shall necessitate a new Agreement. The identity of the client, intended users, or intended use; the date of value; type of value; or property appraised cannot be changed without a new agreement  

SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
Neither party shall under any circumstances be liable to the other party for special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages, including, without limitation, loss of profits or damages proximately caused by loss of use of any property, whether arising from either party’s negligence, breach of the Agreement or otherwise, whether or not a party was advised, or knew, of the possibility of such damages, or such possibility was foreseeable by that party. In no event shall Appraiser be liable to Client for any amounts that exceed the fees and costs paid by Client to Appraiser pursuant to this Agreement. 

ASSIGNMENT
Neither party may assign this Agreement to a third party without the express written consent of the other party, which the non-assigning party may withhold in its sole discretion.  In the event this Agreement is assigned by mutual consent of the parties, it shall become binding on the assigning party’s permitted assigns. 

SEVERABILITY
In the event any provision of this Agreement shall be determined to be void or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, then such determination shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement and all such other provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

CLIENT’S DUTY TO INDEMNIFY APPRAISER
Client agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Appraiser from any damages, losses or expenses, including attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses at trial or on appeal, arising from allegations asserted against Appraiser by any third party that if proven to be true would constitute a breach by Client of any of Client’s obligations, representations or warranties made in this Agreement, or any violation by Client of any federal, state or local law, ordinance or regulation, or common law (a “Claim”).  In the event of a Claim, Appraiser shall promptly notify Client of such Claim, and shall cooperate with Client in the defense or settlement of any Claim. Client shall have the right to select legal counsel to defend any Claim, provided that Appraiser shall have the right to engage independent counsel at Appraiser’s expense to monitor the defense or settlement of any Claim. Client shall have the right to settle any Claim, provided that Appraiser shall have the right to approve any settlement that results in any modification of Appraiser’s rights under this Agreement, which approval will not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned.  

USE OF EMPLOYEES OR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS 
Appraiser may use employees or independent contractors at Appraiser’s discretion to complete the assignment, unless otherwise agreed by the parties. Notwithstanding, Appraiser shall sign the written Appraisal Report and take full responsibility for the services provided as a result of this Agreement.  

TESTIMONY AT COURT OR OTHER PROCEEDINGS 
Client agrees that Appraiser’s assignment pursuant to this Agreement shall not include the Appraiser’s participation in or preparation for, whether voluntarily or pursuant to subpoena, any oral or written discovery, sworn testimony in a judicial, arbitration or administrative proceeding, or attendance at any judicial, arbitration, or administrative proceeding relating to this assignment.  
 
APPRAISER INDEPENDENCE 
Appraiser does not agree to provide a value opinion that is contingent on a predetermined amount. Appraiser cannot guarantee the outcome of the assignment in advance. Appraiser cannot insure that the opinion of value developed as a result of this Assignment will serve to facilitate any specific objective by Client or others or advance any particular cause. Appraiser’s opinion of value will be developed competently and with independence, impartiality and objectivity.  

CHANGES TO THESE TERMS
Any changes to the assignment as outlined in this Agreement shall necessitate a new Agreement.  The identity of the Client, intended users, or intended use; the date of value; type of value; or property appraised cannot be changed without a new Agreement. 

WHEN APPRAISER’S OBLIGATIONS ARE COMPLETE
Appraiser’s obligations pursuant to this Agreement are complete when the Appraisal Report in the form specified in this Agreement is delivered to Client pursuant to this Agreement.  Appraiser agrees to be responsive to Client’s legitimate inquiries regarding the contents of the report after delivery.

NOTICES
Any notice or request required or permitted to be given to any party shall be given in writing and shall be delivered to the receiving party by: a) registered or certified mail, postage prepaid; (b) overnight courier, such as Federal Express, United Parcel Service or equivalent; or (c) hand delivery. The address for delivery of any notice shall be the address for the party as specified in this Agreement, or at such other address as party may designate by written notice to the other party in conformance with this paragraph. Unless otherwise specified herein, notice shall be effective the date it is postmarked or given to a third party for delivery to the receiving party, whether or not the receiving party signs for or accepts delivery of such notice. 

ANTI-DEFAMATION CLAUSE 
Client agrees not to disparage Appraisals By Michael and any of its employee, associate or partner companies publicly (on public forums, blogs, social networks, etc.) at any time during or subsequent to contract period. In case of breach of this clause by the client, family members or other parties whom they have shared their experience with, client agrees to pay $500.00 per incident/post to Appraisals By Michael as damages. 

MEDIATION & ARBITRATION
In the event of a dispute concerning the subject matter of this Agreement, the parties shall in good faith attempt to resolve such dispute by negotiation between the parties’ principals, or, if such negotiation is unsuccessful, by mediation conducted by a third-party mediator.  If such mediation results in an impasse, the parties shall submit their dispute to binding arbitration.  Such mediation or, if necessary, binding arbitration shall be conducted pursuant to the mediation procedures or the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association.  Any arbitration shall be conducted in the city in which Appraiser’s office as specified herein is located.  The parties shall share equally the costs of any mediation.  In the event of binding arbitration, the arbitrators shall, in addition to any relief appropriate to be awarded to the prevailing party, enter an award in favor of the prevailing party for that party’s costs of the arbitration, including the party’s reasonable attorneys’ fees and arbitration expenses incurred in prosecuting or defending the arbitration proceeding.   Subject to the right of the prevailing party to recover its share of the costs of the arbitration services pursuant to the arbitrator’s award, the costs of the arbitration services shall be borne equally by the parties.  If the prevailing party seeks judicial confirmation of any arbitration award entered pursuant to this Agreement, the court shall, in addition to any other appropriate relief, enter an award to the prevailing party in such confirmation proceeding for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses incurred in confirming or successfully opposing the confirmation of such an award.

CLIENT’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
Client represents and warrants to Appraiser that (1) Client has all right, power and authority to enter into this Agreement; (2) Client’s duties and obligations under this Agreement do not conflict with any other duties or obligations assumed by Client under any agreement between Client and any other party; and (3) Client has not engaged Appraiser, nor will Client use Appraiser’s Appraisal Report, for any purposes that violate any federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance or common law. 

GOVERNING LAW & JURISDICTION 
The interpretation and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state in which the Appraiser's principal place of business is located, exclusive of any choice of law rules.  

END OF TERMS OF SERVICES

 

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