Timberline Appraising Inc. has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"

Timberline Appraising Inc. is always prepared to talk to you about any inquiries you might have about appraisals in Sandy City and Salt Lake County. Don't hesitate to contact us today.

Define the term "Appraisal"
Describe what an appraiser does
What would cause me to need services from Timberline Appraising Inc.?
How is an appraiser different than a home inspector?
What is the difference between an appraisal and a comparative market analysis (CMA)?
What's in an appraisal report?
Upon completion of the report, what assurance is there that the value conclusion is veritable?
How hard is it to become certified?
Who hires an appraiser?
Where does Timberline Appraising Inc. get the data used to estimate values in Salt Lake County or other areas?
What can a full appraisal do for me?
My mortgage statement has an item on it for PMI? Can I get rid of that?
How do I get ready for the appraiser?
What does "Market Value" mean?
Who actually owns the appraisal report?
Which home renovations add the most to the price?



Define the term "Appraisal"   (Go to list of  questions)

The procedure of creating an appraisal report consists of an investigation which leads to an opinion of value. This opinion or estimate is arrived at through a formal process that typically utilizes three "common approaches to value". One of the methods in use is the Cost Approach, which is what it would cost to restore the improvements to the property, less the depreciation and physical deterioration, adding the land value. Another of the processes is the Sales Comparison Approach - which concerns making a comparison to other similar properties within a close vicinity which have recently sold. Being the most commonly used approach, the Sales Comparison Approach is generally the most precise and best indicator of market value for a residence. The Income Approach is generally used for figuring out the market value of income-producing properties based on what an investor would pay based on the amount of capital a property produce.

Describe what an appraiser does   (Go to list of  questions)

An appraiser produces a fair and credible determination of market value, often in the context of a real estate purchase. Appraisers present their professional analysis in appraisal reports.


What would cause me to need services from Timberline Appraising Inc.?   (Go to list of  questions)

There are a lot of reasons to purchase an appraisal from Timberline Appraising Inc. with the usual reason being real estate and mortgage transactions. Some other reasons for ordering an appraisal report include:
  • To receive a loan.
  • If you would like to reduce your property tax obligations.
  • To demonstrate a homeowner's acquired equity and remove Primary Mortgage Insurance.
  • To contest high property taxes.
  • If you need to settle an estate.
  • To give you a leg-up when purchasing a home.
  • To determine the most probable property value when listing your home.
  • To ensure parties are provided just compensation in eminient domain cases.
  • Government agencies such as the IRS need an appraisal on every home.
  • If you are ever involved in a lawsuit.
Click here for a more extensive explanation of the process of getting an appraisal.


How is an appraiser different than a home inspector?   (Go to list of  questions)

Appraisers do not do provide home inspections and are not home inspectors. An inspection is a third-party evaluation of the available structure and electrical and mechanical systems of a home, from the roof to the bottom. Commonly, a home inspection report will explain the amenities and the requirements of the house: air conditioning (weather permitting), electrical services, the condition of the heating system, the plumbing; then the structural integrity of the home such as the attic, exposed insulation, walls, floors, ceilings, windows, then the foundation, basement and visible structures.

What is the difference between an appraisal and a comparative market analysis (CMA)?   (Go to list of  questions)

Frankly, they have nothing in common. The CMA depends on indefinite local market trends. The appraisal is based on similar valid comparable sales. Also, the appraisal checks other factors like condition, location and construction costs. All a CMA does is generate a "ball park figure." Delivering a defensible and careful analysis, an appraisal will give a clear opinion of value.

The person creating the report is frankly the most significant difference between a CMA and an appraisal. Real estate agents write CMA's, and they don't always know the whole market or bear specific competence when it comes to home valuation. The appraisal is produce by a licensed, certified professional who makes a living out of valuing properties. Moreover, the appraiser is an unbiased voice, with no conditional interest in the value of a home, unlike the agent, who gets a commission based upon the value of the home.

What's in an appraisal report?   (Go to list of  questions)

The main point of an appraisal report is to let the reader know the value of the real estate in question, and depending on the scope of the report, one will customarily see the following:
  • The client and whose purposes the appraisal is to serve.
  • How the appraisal is supposed to be used.
  • The appraisal's purpose.
  • Precisely what "value" attribute is being reported and what that value means.
  • The effective date of the value opinion.(Sometimes this is in the past or maybe the future for new construction!)
  • Pertinent property characteristics, including: location, physical description, legal attributes, economic factors, the real property interest in question, and non-real estate items included in the valuation, such as personal property, items that are more or less permanently installed and even intangible considerations.
  • Any known easements, restrictions, encumbrances, leases, reservations, covenants, contracts, declarations, special assessments, ordinances, and the like.
  • Division of interest, such as fractional interest, physical segment and partial holding.
  • The scope of work considered to complete the appraisal.
For a more in depth view of all that goes into an appraisal report click here: Sample Appraisal Report

Upon completion of the report, what assurance is there that the value conclusion is veritable?   (Go to list of  questions)

In the documentation of an appraisal, each appraiser must make sure of the following:
  • The appraisal contained analysis of the data.

  • Whether individually or collectively, there were no significant errors contained in the report, nor any material details left out.

  • That appraisal services were not conducted in a careless or negligent fashion.

  • That a believable, defensible appraisal report was communicated.
To become a state licensed appraiser, there are intense education requirements as well as experience that must be logged. Likewise, appraisers must abide by a meticulous industry code of ethics and observe national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The tenets for carrying out an appraisal and documenting its results are guaranteed by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).


    (Go to list of  questions) Regulations regarding licensing and certification vary from state to state. In general, licensing and certification typically translates to many hours of classroom study, tests and experience working under a supervisory appraiser. Once an appraiser is licensed, he or she must then take continuing education courses so that the license doesn't expire. To see the specific requirements for any state click here.

Who hires an appraiser?   (Go to list of  questions)

Typically, appraisers are called upon by lenders to render a value opinion on a house involved in a loan transaction - to make sure the subject is truly adequate collateral for the loan. Appraisers also provide opinions in litigation cases, tax matters and investment decisions.

Where does Timberline Appraising Inc. get the data used to estimate values in Salt Lake County or other areas?   (Go to list of  questions)

Compiling data is one of the main things an appraiser engages in. Data can be classified as either Specific or General. Specific data is collected from the home itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specific data are noted by the appraiser during an inspection.

General data is gathered from a number of places. Local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) provide information on recently sold homes that could be used as comparables. Tax records and other courthouse documents reveal actual sales prices in a market. Appraisers often need to report when a property is in a flood zone, so that information is retrieved from a FEMA data outlet such as a la mode's InterFlood product.

And last but not least, the appraiser gathers general data from his or her past experience in doing assignments for other houses in the same market.

What can a full appraisal do for me?   (Go to list of  questions)

Any time the value of your home or other real property is being used to make a significant financial decision, an appraisal helps. For those selling a home, you'll want to figure out the price that gets you the most profit but also ensures you don't have to wait too long for a buyer to show up; an appraisal can help with that. If you're buying, it makes sure you don't overpay. For people settling an estate or divorce, an appraisal from Timberline Appraising Inc. is the best documentation to ensure assets are split up evenly. Simply put, a house is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Without knowing its real value, wise financial decisions are impossible.

My mortgage statement has an item on it for PMI? Can I get rid of that?   (Go to list of  questions)

PMI is the common abbreviation for for Private Mortgage Insurance. PMI guards the lender if a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the market price of the house is less than what the borrower still owes on the loan. Once you can prove the amount you owe on your home is less than 80% of the home's market value, you can make a case to your lender to drop the PMI.

The savings from cancelling the PMI required when you got your mortgage pays for the appraisal in no time. Nobody is more qualified than Timberline Appraising Inc. when it comes to analyzing real estate appreciation in Sandy City and Salt Lake County. Contact us today.

How do I get ready for the appraiser?   (Go to list of  questions)

We begin with an inspection of the property. What this entails is the appraiser, after setting up an appointment, personally going through the home - recording the layout of the rooms, taking photos and documenting the general status of its amenities. The best thing you can do to help is make sure we have easy access to the exterior of the house . Trim any bushes and relocate any items that would make it difficult to measure the structure. On the inside, make sure the appraiser can get to items like furnaces and water heaters.

You can make our visit go faster and improve the quality of the appraisal report by having the following things on hand:
  • Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three years.
  • Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.
  • Home inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, your septic system and your well.
  • Locate copies of the current listing agreement, broker's data sheet and, in the event of a pending sale.
  • A bill for your most recent real estate taxes which should also contain a legal description of the property.

What does "Market Value" mean?   (Go to list of  questions)

In real estate appraising, Market Value (as opposed to Fair Market Value) is commonly defined as:

"The most probable price (in terms of money) which a property should bring in a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller each acting prudently and knowledgeably, and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus. Implicit in this definition is the consummation of a sale as of a specified date and the passing of title from seller to buyer under conditions whereby: the buyer and seller are typically motivated; both parties are well informed or well advised, and acting in what they consider their best interests; a reasonable time is allowed for exposure in the open market; payment is made in terms of cash in United States dollars or in terms of financial arrangements comparable thereto; and the price represents the normal consideration for the property sold unaffected by special or creative financing or sales concessions granted by anyone associated with the sale."

Who actually owns the appraisal report?   (Go to list of  questions)

In most real estate transactions, the appraisal is ordered by the lender. Even though it's the buyer that eventually pays for the report, the lender is the intended user. The buyer is certainly entitled to a copy of the appraisal - it's usually included with all the other closing documents - but is not entitled to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.

This rule doesn't apply when a home owner hires an appraiser directly. In these scenarios, the appraiser may state how the appraisal can be used; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not stated otherwise, the home owner can do whatever they want with the appraisal.

Which home renovations add the most to the price?   (Go to list of  questions)

It really depends on the market. For example, if you're in a neigborhood of small to medium priced homes, a media room may not be something people in that price range want

As a rule, the best ROI from renovating a home comes in the kitchen. One recent study revealed that putting $20,000 into a kitchen remodel would add about $17,500 to the value of the home - or about an 88% return on investment. Bathrooms were second, yielding 85%. Adding bedrooms and baths can also increase the value of your home as long as your home doesn't then become atypical for your neighborhood in terms of size.