![]() Real Property Appraisals: A PrimerTheir home's purchase can be the largest transaction many of us might ever encounter. Whether it's where you raise your family, an additional vacation home or a rental fixer upper, the purchase of real property is an involved transaction that requires multiple parties to see it through. You're probably familiar with the parties having a role in the transaction. The most familiar person in the transaction is the real estate agent. Next, the bank provides the financial capital required to bankroll the exchange. And ensuring all requirements of the sale are completed and that the title is clear to transfer to the buyer from the seller is the title company. So, who makes sure the real estate is worth the purchase price? In comes the appraiser. We provide an unbiased estimate of what a buyer might expect to pay — or a seller receive — for a parcel of real estate, where both buyer and seller are informed parties. A licensed, certified, professional appraiser from Frigoletto & Associates Inc. will ensure, you as an interested party, are informed. Inspecting the subject propertyTo determine an accurate status of the property, it's our duty to first conduct a thorough inspection. We must see aspects of the property first hand, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, amenities, etc., to ensure they truly are present and are in the shape a typical person would expect them to be. To make sure the stated size of the property has not been misrepresented and illustrate the layout of the home, the inspection often entails creating a sketch of the floorplan. Most importantly, we look for any obvious features - or defects - that would affect the value of the property. Next, after the inspection, we use two or three approaches to determining the value of real property: a paired sales analysis, a replacement cost calculation, and an income approach when rental properties are prevalent. ![]() Cost ApproachThis is where the appraiser pulls information on local construction costs, labor rates and other factors to figure out how much it would cost to replace the property being appraised. This figure often sets the upper limit on what a property would sell for. It's also the least used predictor of value. ![]() Sales ComparisonAppraisers get to know the communities in which they appraise. They thoroughly understand the value of particular features to the homeowners of that area. Then, the appraiser looks up recent transactions in the vicinity and finds properties which are 'comparable' to the home in question. By assigning a dollar value to certain items such as square footage, extra bathrooms, hardwood floors, fireplaces or view lots (just to name a few), we add or subtract from each comparable's sales price so that they more accurately portray the features of subject property.
A true estimate of what the subject could sell for can only be determined once all differences between the comps and the subject have been evaluated. At Frigoletto & Associates Inc., we are experts in knowing the value of particular items in Leominster and Worcester County neighborhoods. The sales comparison approach to value is usually given the most importance when an appraisal is for a real estate purchase. Valuation Using the Income ApproachA third method of valuing approach to value is sometimes applied when an area has a measurable number of renter occupied properties. In this case, the amount of revenue the real estate yields is factored in with other rents in the area for comparable properties to derive the current value. ReconciliationCombining information from all applicable approaches, the appraiser is then ready to stipulate an estimated market value for the subject property. Note: While the appraised value is probably the most accurate indication of what a house is worth, it may not be the final sales price. There are always mitigating factors such as seller motivation, urgency or 'bidding wars' that may adjust an offer or listing price up or down. Regardless, the appraised value is typically used as a guideline for lenders who don't want to loan a buyer more money than the property is actually worth. At the end of the day, an appraiser from Frigoletto & Associates Inc. will guarantee you attain the most fair and balanced property value, so you can make profitable real estate decisions. |