06/01/2026
An appraisal gap is the difference between the appraised value of a home and the purchase price in the sales contract.
An appraisal is an opinion of value by a licensed real estate appraiser. Once a home is under contract and passes the home inspection process, the mortgage lender will order an appraisal. The assigned appraiser will then visit the property to do a visual inspection, compare the features of the home against recently sold properties in the area, and prepare an appraisal report.
The buyer’s lender won’t loan them more than the house’s appraised value. So, if the appraised value of the home comes in below the contract price, there is going to be a gap between the amount of loan the buyer can secure and the amount they must pay for the house.