Learn what to expect during a home appraisal with Stafford Appraisals.
Below are appraisal resources and information for homeowners. If you still have questions about the home appraisal process, please Contact Stafford Appraisals today. We are here to assist you.
A home appraisal is a multi-step process. First, Stafford Appraisals collects, verifies, analyzes, and reconciles the data pertaining both to your home and the market. The collection of data includes what is termed a “home observation”. During the home observation, the appraiser visits the home being appraised, measures the home, and takes photos. The home observation usually takes about one hour. Although visiting the property is the least time-consuming part of the home appraisal process, it is one of the most important as it allows the appraiser to independently verify the data pertaining to the home. Lastly, Stafford Appraisals will write your appraisal report based on the collected data. Typically, Stafford Appraisals completes an appraisal report within two to three days after visiting the property.
Yes, the appraiser will take photos of all the rooms inside your house. The purpose of the photos is to illustrate the condition of the property. Stafford Appraisals is careful to avoid photographing personal belongings such as family photographs and religious items. If the appraiser cannot avoid photographing these items, they will be obscured in the photo that is submitted with the appraisal.
One part of the appraisal process is to identify comparable homes in your neighborhood that have recently sold. To verify that the photo in the MLS accurately portrays the home identified as a comparable property, the appraiser takes a photograph of the exterior. While there are no laws that prohibit taking photos of the exterior of homes, Stafford Appraisals respects and understands the need for privacy and takes great care not to include individuals in comparable photos. If children are playing in the front yard or workers are present, Stafford Appraisals will either obscure them in the final photo or return at a later date to take an exterior photo of the comparable property.
Yes, your pet is welcome to be in your home or back yard. However, for their safety and the safety of the appraiser, we ask that you leash or crate them. Please note that placing the pet in the back yard is not an adequate method of confinement since the appraiser will be in the back yard to take photographs and measure the house.
The first step is to collect information on your home including size, condition, and overall quality as well as any amenities such as pools or outdoor kitchens. Stafford Appraisals then compares your home with other similar homes in your neighborhood that have recently sold. The appraiser will adjust for differences between the subject and comparable properties and perform an analysis of the market data to arrive at a range of possible values for your home. The final step is to reconcile the range of values into a single value. Stafford Appraisals uses weighted averages and their experience in the market to reconcile the range of values into a single opinion of value.
It depends on who ordered the appraisal. If the homeowner ordered the appraisal, they own the appraisal report and will receive a copy after the appraisal is complete. If a bank ordered the appraisal, the bank will provide a copy of the appraisal report to the homeowner. Per federal regulations, if the bank ordered the appraisal Stafford Appraisers cannot talk to the homeowner about the appraisal until the bank gives written permission.
Texas is a non-disclosure state which means the sale price of a home is not reported on the deed. Consequently, Zillow does not have access to actual sale prices for homes sold in Texas. The information reported on Zillow for Texas homes is from public records which may or may not be correct. While Zillow is a great tool to learn more about the homes in your neighborhood, in Texas it is not a good way to determine the value of your home.
The cost to appraise a residential property is dependent upon several factors such as square footage, complexity, and location. Each situation and home is unique, which is why Stafford Appraisals does not list prices for its services. However, the cost to appraise a home in Collin County or Denton County typically starts at $550. Contact us today to request a quote to appraise your home.
Please contact us via the Contact form. We will follow up with you to discuss the purpose of the appraisal, how soon you need the appraisal, when we can get access to the property, and the cost of the appraisal. If both parties agree to proceed, we will send you an engagement letter outlining the items discussed. When you return the signed engagement letter, Stafford Appraisals will add your appraisal to our calendar. We accept appraisal orders on a first come, first served basis. A delay in returning the signed engagement letter, may result in you losing your previously discussed appointment to view the property and increase the turnaround time for the appraisal.