Definition of "Appraisal"

An Appraisal is the evaluation of a real estate property made by a neutral third party expert known as an Appraiser.

There are a number of reasons a home Appraisal is done:

-   To develop a realistic market price
-  To set the property market value at the time of death of its owner, when dealing with inheritance disputes, or at the time of breakup, when dealing with divorce settlements
-   To divide the real estate value between the property and structural improvements
-   To establish insurable values of the property

The Appraisal process  gathers important data regarding the conditions of the property itself and its surroundings in order to provide an estimated value of the house.

The Appraisal process usually takes 2 weeks to be completed. Once the Appraiser collects all the information needed for his calculations, he makes his evaluation and discloses its results to all parts involved in the Appraisal.

Real Estate tips:

Was your house appraisal off by a lot? Know When to Dispute Your Home Appraisal!

Now that you know what is a home Appraisal, you can improve your real estate vocabulary even more by going through our real estate terms!

And, please, have fun using The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory® to find a real estate agent that's just perfect for your needs!

Comments for Appraisal

Marco Montiel Marco Montiel said:

there is a limite age to be real estateagent in the usa.?

May 30, 2021  21:40:11

 
Real Estate Agent

Hey Marco! Thank you for reaching out to us. Regarding your question, the age limit for real estate agents in the USA starts at 18 or 19, depending on the state. The retiring age, however, depends on the individual. Around 22% of real estate agents retire before or around age 60, while 9% only retire between 61 and 70. But, as mentioned, it depends on each individual as many decide to work until their health condition allows them to.

Jun 03, 2021  12:34:07
 
 
image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Listing Agreement A.K.A. Listing is basically a contract allowing a real estate agent or broker to list a home for sale and act as the home seller agent representing his/her interests ...

All expenses related to maintaining and operating a household. These expenses include the cost of rent or mortgage payments, taxes, utilities, maintenance and structural improvements. The ...

Complete estimated itemization of all costs in constructing a structure including site acquisition and preparation, material, and labor costs. A quantity survey is necessary for a ...

A closed-end mortgage is a mortgage in which the collateralized property cannot be used as security for another loan. See also open-end mortgage for a better understanding of the ...

Money raised by a syndicate promoter and placed into a fund prior to selecting the specific property in which funds will be invested. ...

A contract between a lessor and a lessee to use property for a specified time period at an agreed to rental charge. Gross lease: A total amount of rental dollars from which the landlord ...

Legal obligation to pay taxes associated with owning property or earning income. For example, a real estate owner must pay property taxes. ...

Also called trust deed. A document that conveys title to a neutral third party during the period in which the mortgage loan is outstanding as collateral for a debt. ...

Latin for through the life of another. A life estate in property is granted to an individual so long as a third person is alive. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions