Home appraisals you 
can believe in. From experts
you can trust.

Whether you’re selling a home, refinancing, settling an estate, going through a divorce, or analyzing a potential real estate investment, you need an appraisal that’s accurate, fair, and unbiased. As an appraisal

management company, Incenter Appraisal Management acts as the go-between among all parties to a property transaction in order to bring integrity and transparency to the appraisal process.

what exactly is an
appraisal?

Man with an iPad smiling at the camera

An unbiased opinion of a property’s fair market value by a seasoned expert.

An appraisal is a professional valuation of a property’s fair market price prepared by a state-licensed appraiser. Mortgage lenders often require an appraisal so they can be certain a piece of real estate is worth its agreed-upon purchase price, and that its sale can cover potential losses if the mortgage defaults.

An appraiser is a state licensed property evaluator tasked with conducting an accurate appraisal—not over- or under-valued to benefit a lender, buyer or seller.

Appraisers conduct research into appropriate market areas, analyze and assemble data pertinent to a property, and then arrive at its monetary value using their knowledge, experience and professional judgment. An appraiser’s report typically includes:

  • An explanation of how they arrived at your property’s value
  • A brief overview of your local real estate market, including neighborhood and current pricing trends
  • A summary of your property’s features, including size, condition, amenities and upgrades
  • Additional considerations, such as proximity to shopping or other neighborhood traits that may affect value
  • Structural defects, zoning issues, or any characteristics that might adversely affect value

When do you need an appraisal?

They’re not just for mortgages.

While it’s true an appraisal is most often required by a mortgage lender to guide financing decisions, there are a wide variety of instances in which homeowners, assessor’s offices, attorneys, buyers and sellers utilize appraisals. These include:

PMI Removal

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is the supplemental insurance many lenders are required to purchase when the loan is more than 80% of the value of the home. After a rise in property value and/or payments to principal bring the loan below this 80% level, monthly PMI is no longer required.

Property Tax Assessment Review and Advise

An appraiser can provide an accurate answer to the question of property value, whether you are challenging an inaccurate tax assessment, refinancing an existing property, or evaluating the value of a new one. When a full appraisal isn’t economical or necessary, an appraiser can do a limited appraisal for less money.

Estate Planning and Settlement

When a family member dies, and leaves behind real estate, an appraisal may be required to establish its fair market value for tax filings, presentation to multiple heirs, and proper disposal of the estate.

Divorces and Property Disputes

In unfortunate circumstances, such as divorce, estate settlements, partition suits, foreclosures, and zoning issues, appraisals are required to lawfully settle matters.

Appraisers also help with:

  • Advice in eminent domain and condemnation transactions
  • Expert witness testimony
  • Market rent and trend studies
  • Cost/benefit or investment analysis, for example, what will be the financial return on remodeling
  • Land utilization studies
  • Supply and demand studies

FAQS

Some handy facts about appraisals. (And a few misconceptions.)

Hover the tiles to reveal the facts.

Misconception

Appraisal value can vary, depending upon whether it’s conducted for a buyer or seller.

Fact

An appraiser is required to render services independently and objectivity regardless of who it’s for.

Misconception

A property’s market value is the same as its replacement cost.

Fact

Market value is based on what a willing buyer likely would likely pay a willing seller for a particular property, not the dollar amount required to reconstruct it in-kind.

Misconception

A property’s assessed value should equal its market value.

Fact

Often, this may not be the case, such as when comparable properties in a vicinity have not been reassessed for an extended period.

Misconception

Appraisers are hired only for mortgage-lending transactions.

Fact

Appraisers can provide a variety of services, including advice for estate planning, dispute resolution, zoning and tax assessment review, and PMI removal.

Misconception

An appraisal is the same as an inspection.

Fact

An appraiser forms an opinion of a property’s fair market value. A home inspector determines the condition of the property and its major components.

Misconception

You can tell what a property is worth by looking at the outside.

Fact

Property value is determined by a number of factors, including location, condition, improvements, amenities, and market trends.

You are now leaving to a 3rd party site

IAM provides links to web sites of other organizations in order to provide visitors with certain information. A link does not constitute an endorsement of content, viewpoint, policies, products or services of that web site. Once you link to another web site not maintained by IAM, you are subject to the terms and conditions of that web site, including but not limited to its privacy policy.

You will be redirected to

Click the link above to continue or CANCEL