FAQs

How long does it take for the property appraisal to be completed?

Licensed appraisers who are familiar with home values in your area perform appraisals. We order the appraisal as soon as the application deposit is paid. Generally, it takes 2-3 weeks before the written report is sent to us. We follow up with the appraiser to ensure it is completed as soon as possible. If you are refinancing, and an interior inspection of the home is necessary, the appraiser should contact you to schedule a viewing appointment. If you don’t hear from the appraiser within seven days of the order date, please inform your Home Loan Lender. If you are purchasing a new home, the appraiser will contact the real estate agent, if you are using one, or the seller to schedule an appointment to view the home.

I'm purchasing a home, do I need a home inspection AND an appraisal?

Both a home inspection and an appraisal are designed to protect you against potential issues with your new home. Although they have totally different purposes, it makes the most sense to rely on each to help confirm you’ve found the perfect home.

The appraiser will make note of obvious construction problems such as termite damage, dry rot, or leaking roofs or basements. Other obvious interior or exterior damage that could affect the salability of the property will also be reported.

However, appraisers are not construction experts and won’t find or report items that are not obvious. They won’t turn on every light switch, run every faucet, or inspect the attic or mechanicals. That’s where the home inspector comes in. They generally perform a detailed inspection and can educate you about possible concerns or defects with the home.

Accompany the inspector during the home inspection. This is your opportunity to gain knowledge of major systems, appliances and fixtures, learn maintenance schedules and tips, and to ask questions about the condition of the home.

I've heard that some lenders require flood insurance on properties. Will you?

Federal Law requires all lenders to investigate whether or not each home they finance is in a special flood hazard area as defined by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Floods happen anytime, anywhere. The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 help to ensure you will be protected from financial losses caused by flooding.

We use a third party company who specializes in the reviewing of flood maps prepared by FEMA to determine if your home is located in a flood area. If it is, flood insurance coverage will be required at loan closing, since standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t protect you against damages from flooding. Monthly escrows will be set up for this type of insurance.

What is an appraisal and who completes it?

An appraisal report is a written description and estimate of the value of the property. National standards govern not only the format for the appraisal; they also specify the appraiser’s qualifications and credentials. In addition, most states now have licensing requirements for appraisers evaluating properties located within their states. The appraiser will create a written report for us and a copy will be delivered to you prior to your loan closing. After the appraiser inspects the property, they will compare the qualities of your home with other homes that have sold recently in the same neighborhood. These homes are called “comparables” and play a significant role in the appraisal process. Using industry guidelines, the appraiser will try to weigh the major components of these properties (i.e., design, square footage, number of rooms, lot size, age, etc.) to the components of your home to come up with an estimated value of your home. The appraiser adjusts the price of each comparable sale (up or down) depending on how it compares (better or worse) with your property.

What types of things will an underwriter look for when they review the appraisal?

In addition to verifying that your home’s value supports your loan request, we’ll also verify that your home is as marketable as others in the area. We’ll want to be confident that if you decide to sell your home, it will be as easy to market as other homes in the area. We’ll review the features of your home and compare them to the features of other homes in the neighborhood. For example, if your home is on a 20-acre lot, or has a large accessory building, we’ll want to make sure there are other homes in the area on similar size lots or with similar outbuildings. It is hard to place a value on such unique features if we can’t see what other buyers are willing to pay for them. In some areas, additional acreage or outbuildings could actually be a detriment to a future sale. Finding comparable properties can be more challenging in rural areas where it is more difficult to find homes that have similar features. We’ll also make sure the value of your home is in the same range as other homes in the area. If the value of your home is substantially more than other homes in the neighborhood, it could affect the market acceptance of the home if you decide to sell. We’ll also review the market statistics about your neighborhood. We’ll look at the time on the market for homes that have sold recently and verify that values are steady or increasing.

Will I get a copy of the appraisal?

As soon as we receive your appraisal we’ll update your loan with the estimated value of the home. We will deliver a copy of your appraisal to you when our underwriters have reviewed the report and any necessary corrections have been made.