Rohde Appraisal

Many people try to determine the values of their real estate by researching websites that value a home based on aggregate data collected through various means. While these online services can be quick and seem easy, computer generated reports can be grossly inaccurate. More often than not, computer data collected from outdated and often unreliable resources can cause issues when trying to determine a fair value of real estate in any specific market. These websites may be of some value in showing valuation trends, but can in no way replace the services of a local real estate appraiser.

Highly trained professional real estate appraisers, while more expensive, can effectively determine a home’s true value and also take into account variables a computer generated report can’t. Desirable factors such as a highly rated school system, economic development and surrounding neighborhoods can drastically affect a home’s value positively. Areas that are run down but in the midst of a gentrification process are unlikely to get a fair appraisal from a computer model, someone untrained or out of the area. Only a local appraiser will be familiar with rising or declining valuations and building trends in specified locations.

While obtaining a professional real estate appraiser to correctly determine a home’s value can be critical during a divorce, to value an estate, or to satisfy a lender requirement for a mortgage, choosing a reputable local appraiser that knows their market area can mean the difference between a good appraisal and a bad one. If an appraiser does not intimately know the market area they serve, many factors used to determine a home’s value can be left out of the process. Without knowledge of the current market area trends, property values given by an appraiser outside of their locale can be skewed. Continue reading →