I run into real estate agents and loan officers in the Sacramento area who say, “I wish I could still refer you business, but I can’t anymore because of HVCC.” The common thought is that because the appraisal ordering process for loans has changed in recent years (basically appraisers cannot be hand-picked by loan officers or real estate agents for specific loans geared toward Fannie Mae), that our paths cannot cross for business any more. That’s not the case though, so I wanted to give you the skinny on how we can still connect for business. I know, this post seems very self-serving, but since I have this conversation at nearly every Chamber of Commerce or real estate related networking meeting, I figured it was definitely relevant blog fodder.

1. Estate Settlement / Probate Appraisals: When an estate has a transfer of ownership due to death or inheritance, it is very common for a real estate appraisal to be needed for tax purposes. Home owners and attorneys order these types of appraisals (www.SacramentoEstateSettlement.com).

2. Divorce Appraisals: I handle appraisals during the divorce / mediation process, and I run a website at www.SacramentoDivorceAppraisals.com.

3. Property Tax Appeals: Do you know anyone who is paying too much in property taxes? Send them to me. I cover multiple counties in the Greater Sacramento Region. I founded www.SacramentoTaxAppeals.com.

4. Second opinion of value: Sometimes a second opinion of value is needed. Maybe the buyer wants an outside opinion in place of the appraisal the lender ordered. Or maybe you as the real estate agent need some additional research to help the lender see true market value. Or maybe a transaction is heading south very quickly, and some value reinforcement is needed (research or full appraisal).

5. Appraisals during a short sale: Sometimes a bank will absolutely not budge to accept an offer lower than what they deem to be acceptable (even though their price is way too high), so the Listing Agent or home owner will hire me to do a full appraisal. I wrote a full post on this topic here.

6. Pre-listing appraisals:What is the current market doing? A pre-listing appraisal helps give some perspective for the home owner or agent.

7. Home owner wants an appraisal: I’m so grateful when local real estate professionals trust me with their clients’ needs. Sometimes a home owner will want to see an actual appraisal before listing their property. Or other times an all-cash buyer wants to make sure the cash purchase is consistent with market value. Or an owner needs an appraisal for some other reason, and their trusted agent will refer the owner to me.

8. Approval List: You can get me on the approved appraiser list for your favorite lender or attorney. I had a fantastic referral this year to a really great local company. They sent me quite a bit of work and they run an excellent shop. In fact, I sent the loan officer a referral this morning because he got me on their approved appraiser list (and he does a fantastic job).

9. Bankruptcy Appraisals: If a home owner needs an appraisal during the bankruptcy process, I can certainly help them with that. Read a full post here.

I sincerely vaule the relationships I have with local Realtors, real estate agents, and loan officers in the Sacramento area, and I appreciate the business we can send to one another. If you have any questions or a need for an appraisal or property tax consulting in the Sacramento area, give me a call at 916.595.3735, send me an email, or catch me on Facebook.

What does a good referral look like for you?