Frequently Asked Questions

Typical fee for a standard private appraisal for an average single-family house is $500. However, fees can vary widely based on the complexity of the property and what type of appraisal is ordered.  Also, keep in mind that if your lender is ordering the appraisal, fees may be higher as there is likely an appraisal management company involved. Please contact us to discuss your needs and get the fees for your individual appraisal requirements.

I have been in the appraisal industry since 2007, including working as appraiser with the Alameda County Assessor’s Office, and have been a California Certified Residential appraiser since 2011.

Our main focus is Contra Costa and Solano counties. We also cover Alameda, San Francisco, Napa, San Mateo and Marin counties.

With over 15 years of experience in the appraisal we have completed appraisals in nearly every neighborhood in the areas that we serve.

A typical appraisal includes an appraisal inspection, where we visit, observe, document and photograph the subject property. Additionally, there are data accumulation and analysis phases where we research and analyze comparable sales, market trends, location and many other factors, before we complete the report.

For a typical appraisal, preparation is not required on the property owners’ part, however if you have information about what renovations/remodeling has been completed and in what general timeframe that is always helpful.

No, although we appreciate a clear path to be able to move freely through the property. We are trained to look past clutter and are able to complete our work in nearly any condition.

Some appraisals require access to these areas, please check with us prior to your appointment if access to these areas is going to be an issue.

Typically, depending on the size of the house, around 30 minutes. In the most extreme cases, no more than an hour.

No, any adult that can let us in. We can complete our inspection without you being present.  We can discuss this when setting up the appointment.

Generally, 3-4 business days.

If you ordered and appraisal directly from us, then your report will be emailed directly to you in pdf format. If your lender ordered the appraisal, then we send it to them, and in most cases, they are required to provide you a copy.

No, Home Inspections focus on the physical, mechanical, safety aspects of the subject property. A licensed home inspector will spend multiple hours doing a comprehensive review of the home’s condition, both visually and by testing functionality of major systems. After completing the inspection, they will provide recommendations on items that should be repaired or replaced.

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An appraisal focuses on the value the property would command on the open market. Although we will visit the property and make note of its condition and may call out any major safety hazards, the bulk of the work is completed in the office through analysis of market data.

Zillow and similar websites use what’s known as automated valuation models (AVM) which calculate an estimated value range based on all available sales and property characteristics data in your neighborhood.  These types of tools can be useful to get a general range of values, but often don’t take into account unique and specific aspects of the property and will never be as thorough or comprehensive as a full appraisal completed by a qualified area professional.

In most cases, the lender will require a whole new appraisal be completed for each transaction, as they need to know whether the property and market conditions have changed since the previous appraisal and how that affects the value.

This is a difficult question to answer as it can depend on many factors, but assuming that all structural and safety issues like roof, HVAC, foundation are already addressed, major items like kitchen and bath remodels, flooring and windows all tend to have a positive effect on the overall value of the home.