FAQ
Questions people ask before ordering an appraisal
Practical answers about how appraisal assignments in Birmingham are scoped, what happens along the way, and what a report can and cannot do.
Getting started
Choosing the right assignment
- How do I know which type of appraisal to ask for?
- Describe the decision or filing the value supports and who will read the report. That normally settles it in a couple of minutes. If it does not, the scope discussion works out what the assignment actually requires before anything is scheduled.
- What is an effective date, and why does it keep coming up?
- The effective date is the date the opinion of value applies to. It can be today or a date in the past. Everything in the analysis — market evidence, property condition, records — has to line up with that date, so it is fixed before the work starts.
- Who is the intended user, and does it matter if someone else reads the report?
- The intended users are the parties the report is written for, and they are named in it. A report prepared for one user and use is not automatically suitable for a different party or a different purpose. Tell us up front who needs to rely on it.
Process
Inspection, timing and scope
- What happens during the inspection?
- The property is viewed and photographed, interior and exterior, with room count, condition, updates and site characteristics documented. Measurements are taken as the assignment requires. It is not a home inspection: systems are not tested and no repair list is produced.
- How long does the analysis take?
- No day count is published, because scope, property access, evidence availability and current capacity all move it. Call with your deadline and you will get a specific answer for your assignment.
- Can an appraisal be done without going inside?
- Some uses allow a more limited scope, but the limitation is stated in the report and affects how the opinion should be read. Whether that fits your situation is part of the scope discussion.
Records
Property records and documents
- The county record shows the wrong square footage. Is that a problem?
- It is common and it is workable. Recorded characteristics are a starting point, not the final word. Bring your own records — plans, permits, prior appraisals, listing sheets — and discrepancies get examined rather than copied forward.
- What documents actually help?
- Prior appraisals, listing sheets, permits, renovation invoices, insurance records and dated photographs. For retrospective assignments, anything showing the property's condition near the effective date is especially useful.
- Do I need a survey or title work?
- Not usually, but if boundaries, easements or access are unclear, whatever documentation you have helps. Where something cannot be verified, the report states the assumption made rather than presenting it as an observed fact.
The preparation guide covers records in more detail.
Limits
What an appraisal does not do
- Will the report be accepted by a court, the IRS or a lender?
- No appraiser can promise how another party will treat a report. Ask the recipient what they require — form, scope, who may order it — before the assignment begins. Lenders and servicers in particular often must order the appraisal themselves.
- Do you give legal or tax advice?
- No. Appraisal work produces an opinion of real property value. Questions about filings, basis, shares, entitlements or statutes belong with an attorney or tax professional.
- Why are there no prices on the site?
- Because a price quoted before hearing about the property would be a guess. Fee and timing follow from the scope of work, which is settled on the call.
Talk through your assignment by phone
Scope, effective date and current availability are confirmed on the call. There is no form to fill in — call and describe the property.