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Hiring an Appraiser When Title Transfers (Sacramento Region)

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papa-001aWhenever title transfers on a deed, a real estate appraisal is usually needed. Situations like the death of a loved one, inheritance of property, divorce, refinance, estate settlement, and buyout of other persons on title warrant a credible real estate appraisal so that decisions can be made about the property. 

Tips for Hiring an Appraiser for a Title Transfer Situation:

  • Make sure the appraiser knows the real estate market where the property is located. This is key toward producing a reliable appraisal. It’s okay to ask the appraiser questions about his/her experience.
  • Help the appraiser understand why the appraisal is needed. Did you inherit property? Are your elderly parents moving and title is transferring to you? Was there a death in the family? Is there a divorce or break-up in progress? The appraiser is bound to confidentiality and cannot by law share your situation with others.
  • Inform the appraiser what type of value is needed. An experienced appraiser will be able to easily figure this out with you in just a couple of minutes of conversation. Is this a market value as of today’s date or do you need an appraisal based upon a previous date? For example, in estate settlement appraisals, it is common for the appraisal to be based upon the date which title was transferred in the past or the date of death of the loved one. This is called a “retrospective value”.
  • If you are a home owner working with an attorney and it would be easiest on you for the appraiser to work directly with the attorney, that’s definitely doable. I see it work out either way and I defer to whatever the client needs and prefers.
  • Remember that the lowest-priced fees for appraisals usually produce the lowest-quality of work (my fees are very reasonable). The last thing you want is for an unreliable appraisal to get in the way of what you are trying to accomplish with a transfer of title.

If you have any questions about the information above or would like to talk more, feel free to call me at 916-595-3735, see my company website at www.lundquistcompany.com or email me at ryan [at] lundquistcompany [dot] com.  I am available to help you in your time of need and I am glad to speak with you about your situation.