05/08/2016
Evaluations vs. Appraisals
Before you can list your home for sale you need to know what its worth.
Do you get an appraisal from a home appraiser, or do you get an evaluation from a realtor, and what’s the difference?
A home appraisal can be provided by a licensed home appraiser. The appraisal will evaluate your home in comparison to recent sales of similar homes in the same area and attempt to assign an absolute value to your property.
Appraisals are usually done by the bank or lender for your buyer after you have a conditional sale.
Appraisals are done when someone (you or your buyer) wants to borrow money against a property, either in the form of a mortgage or a line of credit.
An evaluation ,on the other hand, is done by a realtor. Your realtor will also look at recent sales of similar homes in the area, carefully comparing variables such as location, features, and interior condition. However, instead of trying to assign an absolute value, your realtor will offer an opinion as to the price range your home is expected to sell in, and an opinion of the best list price. In fact, realtors cannot act as appraisers as this would be a conflict of interest. Conversely, neither can an appraiser be a realtor.
The real difference between a home appraisal and a home evaluation is the intent. Appraisals are done for the purpose of borrowing money against a property.
A home evaluation is done for the purpose of listing a property for sale at the price most likely to achieve the seller’s objectives, whether that be the highest price or a quick sale, or a balance between the two.