Diamondback Appraisal Services has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"


	Diamondback Appraisal Services is always ready to reply to any inquiries you might have about appraisals in Maricopa County. Contact us today to learn how we can help solve your specific valuation problems.

What is an appraisal?
What does an appraiser do?
Why would a person request your services?
How is an appraisal different than a home inspection?
What is the difference between an appraisal and a comparative market analysis (CMA)?
What does the appraisal report contain?
Once the appraisal is done, how can I have a guarantee that the final number is accurate?
How difficult is it to become certified?
Who hires an appraiser?
Where does Diamondback Appraisal Services get the information used to estimate values in Maricopa County or other areas?
How can a licensed appraiser help me?
What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it?
Does the appraiser need anything from me in advance?
How does an appraiser define "Market Value"?
Who has rights to the appraisal report?
I want to get more for my house. Where should I spend money renovating?

What is an appraisal? (Return to top)

The process of performing an appraisal report consists of an estimation which leads to an opinion of value. The appraiser will typically use a several "approaches," typically three, to come to the estimation of market value. The Cost Approach is one of the processes that appraisers use to find value; it involves figuring what the improvements would cost minus physical deterioration, plus the land value. The Sales Comparison Approach deals with searching for comparable properties in close proximity and discerning value based on comparing those properties to the house being appraised. The Sales Comparison Approach is normally the most definitive and clearest indicator of a liklely sales price for a residential property. The third approach is the Income Approach, which is the most important method in appraising income producing properties - it deals with estimating what an investor would pay based on the income produced by the property.

What does an appraiser do? (Return to top)

An appraiser provides a professional, unbiased assessment of market value, to be used in making real estate transactions. Appraisers exhibit their analysis in appraisal reports.

Why would a person request your services? (Return to top)

There are a lot of reasons to purchase an appraisal from Diamondback Appraisal Services with the most common reason being real estate and mortgage transactions. Some other reasons for ordering an appraisal include:

To receive a loan.
If you would like to reduce your property tax burden.
To demonstrate a homeowner's acquired equity and remove Primary Mortgage Insurance.
To contest high property taxes.
To settle an estate.
To give you a leg-up when purchasing real estate.
To find a likely sales price when listing your home.
To protect your rights if your property is being taken by means of eminent domain in a condemnation case.
Because a government agency such as the IRS requires it.
It's possible you could be involved in a lawsuit - an appraisal will help.

Click here for a more detailed explanation of the process of getting an appraisal.

How is an appraisal different than a home inspection? (Return to top)

Home inspectors do not figure out an opinion of value and do not use the same forms as appraisers. The purpose of a home inspection is to investigate the structure of the home from foundation to rooftop. The usual property inspector's report will contain an evaluation of the condition of the home's heating system, central air conditioning system (temperature permitting), interior plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, and visible insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement, and visible structure.

What is the difference between an appraisal and a comparative market analysis (CMA)? (Return to top)

Frankly, it's night and day. The CMA relies on indefinite local market trends. The appraisal is based on similar definite comparable sales. Area and architectural values are also a priority in an appraisal. The CMA will provide a non-specific figure. An appraisal delivers a defensible and carefully documented opinion of value.

But the biggest difference is who's creating the report. Real estate agents, who may not have a true grasp of valuation methods or the entire market, write CMA's. A certified, Arizona licensed professional who bases a career on valuing properties in and around Maricopa County is behind the appraisal. Moreover, the appraiser is an unbiased party, with no vested interest in the property's value, unlike the real estate agent, who gets a commission based upon the price of the home.

What does the appraisal report contain? (Return to top)

The main point of an appraisal report is to provide a value opinion, and depending on the scope of the report, one will customarily see the following:

Who engaged the appraiser and whose purposes the appraisal is to serve.
The intended use of the appraisal.
The appraisal's purpose.
The type of value reported and a definition of the value reported.
The effective date of the value opinion.(Sometimes this is in the past or maybe the future for new construction!)
Characteristics of the property that have a bearing on the value, including: location, physical attributes, legal attributes, economic factors, the real property interest in question, and non-real estate items included in the valuation, such as personal property, permanent equipment installations 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.
What was entailed in the activity of completing the appraisal.

For a more comprehensive view of all that goes into an appraisal report click here: Sample Appraisal Report

Once the appraisal is done, how can I have a guarantee that the final number is accurate? (Return to top)

In the documentation of an appraisal, each appraiser must see to it that each of the items below are covered:

That the information analysis contained in the appraisal was appropriate.

Whether individually or collectively, there were no grave errors contained in the report, nor any relevant details left out.

That appraisal services were not carried out in a careless or negligent manner.

The final appraisal report was easy to explain, credible and defensible.

To become a state licensed appraiser, there are intense education requirements as well as on the jobexperience that must be logged. Plus, appraisers must stick to a meticulous industry code of ethics and observe national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The rules for carrying out an appraisal and documenting its results are insured by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).

(Return to top) Regulations regarding licensing and certification of Real Estate Appraisers are different from state to state. However, licensing and certification typically translates to many hours of coursework, tests and practical experience. Once licensed, he or she must then take continuing education courses so the license stays up to date. To see the specific requirements for any state click here.

Who hires an appraiser? (Return to top)

Mortgage lenders are an appraiser's typical customer, requesting their services to ensure real estate involved in a mortgage transaction is adequate collateral for a loan. Appraisers also provide opinions for legal settlements, tax matters and investment decisions.

Where does Diamondback Appraisal Services get the information used to estimate values in Maricopa County or other areas? (Return to top)

One of the primary tasks an appraiser engages in is to compile property data. Data can be described as either Specific or General. Specific data is from the home itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specific data are gathered by the appraiser while on site.

General data is collected from a number of places. To research recently sold homes to be used as "comps", an appraiser will typically use the local Multiple Listing Service. Tax records and other public documents verify actual sales prices in a market. Appraisers often need to report when a property is in a flood zone, and that information is retrieved from a FEMA data outlet such as a la mode's InterFlood service.

And most importantly, the appraiser assembles general data from his or her collective knowledge gained from doing assignments for other properties in the same market.

How can a licensed appraiser help me? (Return to top)

An appraisal is a worthwhile whenever the value of your home is relevant to a financial decision. For those selling a home, you'll want to figure out a price that gets you the most profit but doesn't leave your home on the market too long; 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 Diamondback Appraisal Services is the best documentation to ensure assets are split up fairly. Simply put, a home is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Don't make decisions in the dark with a professional appraisal.

What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it? (Return to top)

PMI stands for Private Mortgage Insurance. This added policy takes care of the lender in case a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the value of the home is less than the loan balance. 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.


	Does your monthly loan payment have a lineitem for PMI?Call Diamondback Appraisal Services today at 480-775-6060 or send us an e-mail. Documentation of your home's current value could save you thousands.

Does the appraiser need anything from me in advance? (Return to top)

The first step in most appraisals is the home inspection. 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 the appraiser has easy access to the exterior of the house (gates aren't locked, etc). Trim any shrubs and move any items that would make it difficult to measure the structure. On the inside, make sure the appraiser can easily access items like furnaces and water heaters.

The following items, if available, will help your appraiser to provide a more accurate appraisal in a shorter period of time:

Information on any written private agreements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.
Title policy that lists encroachments or easements.
Information on "Homeowners Associations" or condominium covenants and fees.
A copy of the current listing agreement and broker's data sheet and Purchase Agreement if a sale is "pending".
Most recent real estate tax bill and or legal description of the property.

How does an appraiser define "Market Value"? (Return to top)

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 has rights to the appraisal report? (Return to top)

For mortgage transactions, the lender requests the appraisal, either directly or through a third party. 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 report - it's usually bundled with all the other closing documents - but is not entitled to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.

The exception to this rule is when a home owner engages an appraiser directly. In these scenarios, the appraiser may state the purpose of the appraisal; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not stipulated otherwise, the home owner can do whatever they want with the appraisal.

I want to get more for my house. Where should I spend money renovating? (Return to top)

Like all things real estate, this is dependent on a home's location. For example, while quality appliances are attractive, a $7000 built-in refrigerator won't pay off in a neighborhood of moderately priced homes

No matter where you go, however, renovating a kitchen is almost always a safe investment. 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 are right up there with kitchens, yielding 85%. On the contrary, something that may not add value would be painting just for the sake of redecorating.