Are drive by appraisals accurate?

Category: business and finance real estate industry
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The obvious reason for this is the appraiser doesn't have an accurate view of the home and its characteristics. "There are few benefits to a drive-by valuation compared to a full one." Although appraisers have data available, that information may not be up-to-date or accurate.



Keeping this in consideration, are drive by appraisals lower?

As with just about anything that's done in a less-than-thorough manner, drive-by appraisals are motivated by a desire to save money. They take less time to do, so the charge to the buyer – and it's the buyer who pays for the appraisal – is lower. Drive-by appraisals carry obvious risks.

Also Know, how long does a drive by appraisal take? You can expect an appraiser to be at your home from 20 minutes to two hours, depending on the size and complexity of the property, and they must take photos of all living areas to document and confirm the condition of the home.

Beside this, do appraisers just drive by?

Drive-By Appraisal Usage Appraisers doing drive-by appraisals photograph the site and make notes about the property's condition, generally based from a view from the street. These appraisers also base the property value on data such as recent real estate sales and listings near the site.

What hurts a home appraisal?

Comparable homes or comps are one of the most important factors affecting appraisal value. An appraiser will take a close look at recently sold, nearby homes with similar bedrooms, bathrooms, updates and square footage to your home. The value of these homes can provide baselines for appraisal value.

28 Related Question Answers Found

Do appraisers come inside?

Usually but not always. Drive-by appraisals are sometimes done, but on new loans, the appraiser will typically go inside. How can an appraiser get an accurate appraisal if they don't go into the home?

How should I prepare for a home appraisal?

10 Easy Ways to Prepare Your Home for Appraisal
  1. Be sure to have any safety equipment installed and working properly.
  2. Walk around your home before the appraisal with a critical eye.
  3. Inform your home appraiser of any home improvements you have done on your home.
  4. Do some sprucing up.
  5. Do some research on other homes in the neighborhood.
  6. Clean your heart out.

What is a 2055 appraisal?

Form 2055 is a Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) compliant appraisal report that is based on an exterior-only inspection of a single family detached, attached, planned unit development (PUD) property. The report is to include: A supported opinion of site value.

What is a desktop appraisal?

The desktop appraisal is a valuation performed without a physical inspection of the property. All research is done as the name suggests, from the appraiser's desk. A desktop appraisal is made based on tax records and a multiple listing service (MLS).

What is a drive by House valuation?


A Kerbside Valuation is a cheap 'drive-past' valuation by an agent of a mortgage lender to check the condition and value of a property, used particularly for further advances on an existing mortgage or if you are remortgaging and house prices have not fluctuated drastically. These are referred to as Desktop Valuations.

What is an exterior only appraisal?

An Exterior-Only Inspection Residential Appraisal Report allows an appraiser to document observations based off of the following actions: An exterior inspection of the subject property. A street map that shows the location of the subject property and of all comparables used.

Does a messy house affect an appraisal?

Impact of Clutter
Unless the amount of clutter begins to affect the structural condition of a home, it will not affect an appraisal. The cleanliness of a home also has no impact on the value. It is not uncommon for an appraiser to walk into a cluttered, messy home.

Do appraisers know the selling price?

The appraiser can tell you what a buyer should pay.
The appraiser will give an educated opinion on the value of the home based on training and experience. If the appraiser is good at what he or she does, then the price will usually be close to the market value of the home, but not always.

What does an appraiser look at?

Specifically, with regard to the exterior of a property, an appraiser looks at the site, the quality of construction, the integrity of the roof and foundation, any issues with the guttering or siding, parking facilities and the home's observable external condition.

What increases the value of your home appraisal?


How to Increase YourHome Appraisal Value
  1. Create curb appeal. Make your home picture-perfect.
  2. Stage inside and out. Add that wow factor.
  3. Make updates that pay off. Invest in low-cost projects that increase value.
  4. Keep track of improvements. Take before and after photos.
  5. Learn what buyers want.
  6. See how it compares.

How do I know the value of my home?

How to find the value of a home
  1. Use online valuation tools. Searching “how much is my house worth?” online reveals dozens of home value estimators.
  2. Get a comparative market analysis.
  3. Use the FHFA House Price Index Calculator.
  4. Hire a professional appraiser.
  5. Evaluate comparable properties.

What happens if the appraisal comes in low?

It states that if the appraisal comes back low, the buyer has the option to back out of the deal and get their earnest money back. It's a risk assessment calculation of the amount of money they'll be financing in the mortgage (not the sale price), divided by the appraised value.

How much does it cost to have a house appraised?

Generally, you will pay around $3-$500 for a professional valuation. For this fee you will receive a written report detailing the value of the property, along with explanations of how and why this value was determined. Why do I need a valuation?

What should you not say to an appraiser?

5 things NOT to say to an appraiser if you don't want to be accused of influencing them
  • “Use these sales, they are the best comps for this house”- There is a fine line in providing comparable sales to the appraiser.
  • “Give me the best appraisal you can”- Appraisers interpret this as “give me the highest value you can”.

What negatively affects home appraisal?


Bad neighbors.
Food waste in your immediate area can attract insects, vermin and even mold, all of which can have a negative impact when it goes into a home appraisal. Statistics show that a neighbor's messy property can lower your appraisal by more than 5-10%.

Are appraisals public record?

Appraisals are not public record. Lenders do not share appraisals with other lenders. We can order our own appraisals at any time with our appraisers, no matter what appraisal problems may have surfaced with another lender. Once uploaded, an FHA appraisal runs with the property for six months no matter what.

How long does it take an appraiser to appraise a house?

The examination itself can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 3 hours depending on the size and details of the property. Here the appraiser will evaluate if your property is in good, fair, poor, or average condition. Poor properties may also take longer to evaluate.