Your Guide to an Inland Empire Home Appraisal

You’ve found your dream Inland Empire home. Now, it’s time to cross all your “T’s” and dot all your “I’s” before it’s all your own. And one of the first items on your closing checklist is the home appraisal. So, what exactly is that?

Your Guide to an Inland Empire Home Appraisal

What Is an Appraisal?

The Inland Empire home appraisal is essentially a value assessment of the home and property. It is conducted by a certified third party and is used to determine whether the home is priced appropriately.

What Happens During an Appraisal?

During a home appraisal, the appraiser conducts a complete visual inspection of the interior and exterior of the Inland Empire home in question. He or she factors in a variety of things, including the home’s floor plan functionality, condition, location, school district, fixtures, lot size, and more. An upward adjustment is generally made if the home has a deck, a view, or a large yard. The appraiser will also compare the home to several similar homes that were sold within the last six months in the area.

What Does the Appraisal Report Include?

The final report must include a street map showing the property and the ones it was compared to, photographs of the interior and exterior, an explanation of how the square footage was calculated, market sales data, public land records, and more.

How Does the Lender Use the Report?

After it is complete, the lender uses the information found to ensure that the property is worth the amount they are investing. This is a safeguard for the lender, as the home acts as collateral for the mortgage. If the buyer defaults on the mortgage and goes into foreclosure, the lender generally sells the home to recover the money borrowed.

Muna Dionne, your Inland Empire specialist with Coldwell Banker Realty