Question 1

What is the difference between an appraisal and a real estate agent's CMA?

Accepted Answer

An appraisal is a written opinion of value developed by a state-certified appraiser under professional appraisal standards, with a defined scope of work, a stated effective date and documented analysis of comparable sales. A comparative market analysis is a pricing tool prepared by a real estate broker, usually to support a listing or offer strategy. Because an appraisal is prepared by an independent party who has no interest in the outcome of a sale, it is often the more appropriate document when a value conclusion needs to be reviewed by an attorney, a court, an accountant or another third party.

Question 2

Who can order an appraisal?

Accepted Answer

Private appraisal assignments are commonly ordered by homeowners, personal representatives and executors, trustees, attorneys, accountants and financial professionals. When an assignment is ordered on behalf of another party, it helps to identify at the outset who the client is, who the intended users of the report will be and what the intended use of the report is, because those elements shape the scope of work.

Question 3

What does an appraisal report actually conclude?

Accepted Answer

The report communicates an opinion of value for the real property as of a stated effective date, together with the scope of work performed and the analysis supporting that opinion. It does not decide how property should be divided, how an estate should be administered, what a property should be listed for, or how any party should act on the value. Those decisions belong to you and your advisors.

Question 4

Does an appraisal guarantee what a property will sell for?

Accepted Answer

No. An appraisal is an opinion of value as of a specific effective date, developed from market evidence available for that date. An eventual sale price depends on marketing, negotiation, timing and buyer circumstances, and can differ from an appraised value.

Question 5

Does an appraiser decide how property is divided in a divorce?

Accepted Answer

No. The appraiser develops an independent opinion of the value of the real property and reports the basis for that opinion. Decisions about how marital assets are characterized, allocated or divided are legal matters handled by the parties, their attorneys, a mediator or the court. An appraisal supplies one input — a supported value conclusion — into that broader process.

Question 6

Can both parties in a dissolution use the same appraisal?

Accepted Answer

That depends on how the assignment is set up and on the direction of counsel. The client and intended users are identified before work begins, and an appraisal can be engaged jointly, by one party, or by an attorney on a party's behalf. Who may rely on the report is determined by those elements, not added afterward, so it is worth confirming the arrangement at the outset.

Question 7

What is a date-of-death appraisal?

Accepted Answer

A date-of-death appraisal is a residential appraisal with an effective date set as of the date a property owner died, rather than the date the appraisal is prepared. The appraiser analyzes market conditions and comparable sales as they existed on that earlier date. Estate representatives frequently need this type of report for estate settlement and accounting purposes, and the appropriate effective date should be confirmed with the attorney or accountant handling the estate.

Question 8

Can an appraisal be completed after a property has already been sold or cleared out?

Accepted Answer

Often yes, as a retrospective assignment. When the property is no longer available in its former condition, the appraisal relies on the documentation that exists — photographs, listing records, permits, prior inspections or a prior appraisal — and the report states clearly what condition information was available and how it was used. The more documentation you can supply, the better supported the conclusion.

Question 9

What is a retrospective appraisal?

Accepted Answer

A retrospective appraisal establishes the value of a property as of a prior effective date. The analysis relies on market data available as of that date, which means the sales and market conditions considered are historical rather than current. Retrospective assignments arise in estate matters, in some marital dissolution matters and in various financial or legal circumstances where a past value is the relevant figure.

Question 10

How far back can a retrospective valuation go?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the availability and reliability of market data and property information for the date in question. Describe the effective date you need in your request and feasibility can be confirmed before an engagement is made, rather than discovered partway through the assignment.

Question 11

Why would I get an appraisal before listing my home?

Accepted Answer

A pre-listing appraisal gives an independent opinion of value from someone with no role in the sale and no commission at stake. Some owners want that perspective alongside a broker's pricing strategy, particularly for properties with unusual features, significant renovations, acreage or limited comparable data, where opinions about value can vary widely.

Question 12

Is a pre-listing appraisal the same as a listing recommendation?

Accepted Answer

No. The appraisal is an opinion of value, not a pricing or marketing recommendation. Deciding on a list price involves strategy, timing and negotiation considerations that belong to you and your real estate broker. The appraisal supplies an independent value input to that conversation.

Question 13

Can an appraisal be used when reviewing a county assessed value?

Accepted Answer

An independent appraisal is one form of evidence an owner may choose to obtain when reviewing an assessed value. The appraiser's role is limited to developing a supportable opinion of value as of the effective date the process requires. Filing requirements, deadlines, forms and whether an appeal is advisable are matters for the county assessor's office or a qualified attorney or tax professional — no outcome is promised or implied.

Question 14

What effective date is used for an assessment-related appraisal?

Accepted Answer

Assessment processes generally specify the valuation date that applies, and that date controls the market data analyzed. Confirm the required date with the assessor's office or your advisor before the assignment begins, because a report developed as of the wrong date may not address the question being asked.

Question 15

Do you accept lender appraisal assignments?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Lender and appraisal management company work is part of the practice for residential properties in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. The emphasis of this website is on private and legal-related assignments, but lender assignments are welcome and can be discussed directly.

Question 16

What information is helpful when requesting an appraisal?

Accepted Answer

The property address, the type of property, the purpose of the appraisal, the required effective date and any deadline are the most useful starting points. For retrospective and date-of-death assignments, the specific effective date matters a great deal. If prior improvements, permits, surveys, plat documents or a prior appraisal are readily available, they can be provided later in the process, but they are not required to begin a conversation.

Question 17

How does a residential appraisal work?

Accepted Answer

In general terms, the assignment is defined first: the client, the intended use, the type of value and the effective date. The appraiser then gathers property information, typically inspects the property to the extent the assignment requires, researches relevant market and comparable sales data, analyzes that data and prepares a written report communicating the value opinion and its support. The specific scope of work depends on the assignment and is agreed upon before the work begins.

Question 18

Does someone need to be home for the inspection?

Accepted Answer

Access arrangements are coordinated for each assignment. Interior access is typically needed when the scope of work calls for an interior inspection, and access can be arranged with an owner, an occupant, an agent or a representative. If a tenant is in place or access is complicated, note that in your request so it can be planned rather than rescheduled.

Question 19

How long does an appraisal take, and what does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Timing and fees depend on the property, the complexity of the assignment, the effective date required and current scheduling. Rather than publishing figures that may not apply to your situation, both are quoted directly for your specific assignment before any engagement is made.

Question 20

Which areas do you serve?

Accepted Answer

Residential appraisal services are provided throughout King County, Pierce County and Snohomish County, Washington. The practice operates as a service-area business, which means the appraiser travels to the subject property and clients do not visit an office.

Question 21

How is my information handled?

Accepted Answer

Information submitted through the request form is used to evaluate and, if engaged, perform the appraisal assignment. It is not sold and is not shared with unrelated third parties. The form deliberately does not ask for Social Security numbers, financial account numbers or legal documents, and those should not be included in the message field.

Question 22

What happens during the property inspection?

Accepted Answer

The appraiser observes the property's layout, condition, room count and finishes, takes measurements and photographs, and notes features the public record does not capture. The extent of the inspection depends on the assignment. It is an observation for valuation purposes and not a home inspection: systems are not tested and repairs are not recommended.

Question 23

Do I receive a copy of the appraisal report?

Accepted Answer

If you are the client, yes. In a private assignment the client is the party who engaged the appraiser, and the report goes to that client and to any intended users identified before work began. In a lender assignment the lender is the client, and disclosure to anyone else follows the lender's process and the appraiser's confidentiality obligations.

Question 24

What is an effective date, and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

The effective date is the date the opinion of value applies to, which is not necessarily the date of inspection or the date the report is written. A value as of today and a value as of two years ago can differ materially, because each rests on the market data available at that time. Since the whole analysis is anchored to it, the effective date is confirmed in writing before work begins and stated prominently in the report.

Question 25

Can I request an appraisal for a property I do not own?

Accepted Answer

Often, depending on the purpose and on access. Buyers, attorneys, executors, trustees and co-owners all order appraisals on property they do not hold title to. What matters is a legitimate intended use and lawful access for the inspection the assignment requires. Describe the situation on the request form and it can be assessed before anything is engaged.

Question 26

Can one spouse order the appraisal, or does it have to be both?

Accepted Answer

Either arrangement is common. An appraisal may be ordered by one party, by both jointly, or by an attorney on behalf of a client. The analysis does not change; what changes is who the client and intended users are, which is identified at the outset because it governs how the report is written and to whom it may be disclosed. Many parties prefer a joint engagement so both work from the same figure.

Question 27

Is an appraisal worth commissioning for an assessment appeal?

Accepted Answer

It depends on whether there is a specific reason to believe the assessed value exceeds market value — nearby sales below the assessment, condition the records do not reflect, inaccurate recorded characteristics, or a property atypical enough that mass appraisal handles it poorly. If none of those apply, the appraisal may simply confirm the county's figure, and that is reported honestly. Weigh the cost of the appraisal against the potential difference before ordering.

Understanding residential appraisals

Appraisal Basics

Divorce

Estate & Probate

Retrospective

Pre-Listing & Private

Property Tax

Lender

Process & Logistics

Educational articles in preparation

What Is a Date-of-Death Appraisal?

Divorce Appraisal vs. Comparative Market Analysis

What Is a Retrospective Appraisal?

What Information Does an Appraiser Need for an Estate Appraisal?

How Does a Residential Appraisal Work?

Appraisal vs. Real Estate Agent CMA

Should I Get an Appraisal Before Listing?

How an Appraisal Differs From Your Assessed Value

Match your situation to an assignment type

Divorce Appraisal

Estate & Date-of-Death

Retrospective Appraisal

Pre-Listing Appraisal

Private Valuation

Property Tax / Assessment

Lender Appraisal

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