JM Appraisal Services has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"

JM Appraisal Services is always happy to answer any inquiries you might have about appraisals or real estate in BREWER and Penobscot County. Contact us today to talk about how we can help you with your specific valuation problems.

Describe an appraisal
What does an appraiser do?
What would cause me to request your services?
How is an appraiser different than a home inspector?
Is an appraisal the same as a comparative market analysis(CMA)?
What are the contents of an appraisal report?
Once the appraisal is done, how can I have certainty that the final number is valid?
How hard is it to become certified?
Who do appraisers work for?
Where does an appraiser get the data used to estimate values in Penobscot County or other areas?
What can a full appraisal do for me?
What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it?
Should I do anything in advance of the appraisal inspection
What does "Market Value" mean?
Who has rights to the appraisal report?
I want to get more for my house. Where should I spend money renovating?



Describe an appraisal   (Back to top)

The procedure of producing an appraisal deals with an evaluation which leads to an opinion of value. The real estate appraiser will typically use a several "approaches," typically three, to conclude the estimation of market value. One of them is the Cost Approach - which is how much capital would be required to replace the improvements, less physical deterioration and other factors, plus the land value. Another of the methods is the Sales Comparison Approach - which deals with making a comparable analysis to other similar properties within a close proximity which have recently sold. Being the most common approach, the Sales Comparison Approach is considered the most accurate and best indicator of market value for a property. The Income Approach is primarily used for finding the market value of income-producing properties based on what an investor would pay based on the amount of income a property would bring in.

What does an appraiser do?   (Back to top)

An appraiser produces a professional, unbiased assessment of market value, to be used in making real estate transactions. Appraisers illustate their findings in appraisal reports.


What would cause me to request your services?   (Back to top)

There are a lot of reasons to purchase an appraisal with the most common reason being real estate and mortgage transactions. Some other reasons for ordering an report include:
  • If you are applying for a loan.
  • To reduce your tax burden.
  • To build a case for a homeowner's equity and remove Primary Mortgage Insurance.
  • To fight high property taxes.
  • To handle an estate.
  • To give you a negotiating tool when purchasing real estate.
  • To determine a reasonable sales price when listing your home.
  • To protect your rights if your property is being taken by means of eminent domain in a condemnation case.
  • Government agencies such as the IRS require an appraisal on every property.
  • If you ever find yourself in a civil case.
For a more extensive description of the appraisal process click here.


How is an appraiser different than a home inspector?   (Back to top)

Home inspectors do not generate an opinion of value and do not use the same forms as appraisers. An inspection is a third-party investigation of the accessible structure and electrical and mechanical systems of a property, from the roof to the bottom. Commonly, a home inspection report will explain the amenities and the necessities of the property: air conditioning (weather permitting), electrical systems, the condition of the heating system, the plumbing; then the structural capacity of the home such as the attic, accessible insulation, walls, floors, ceilings, windows, then the foundation, basement and other visible structures.

Is an appraisal the same as a comparative market analysis(CMA)?   (Back to top)

To be blunt, it's night and day. What the CMA relies upon are ill-defined trends. The appraisal is reliant on similar proven comparable sales. The appraisal report will also contain location and building costs. All a CMA does is generate a "ball park figure." Being a documented and carefully investigated opinion of value, appraisals are defensible and stand up in legal situations.

But the most significant factor is who's behind the report. Real estate agents produce CMA's, and they don't always know the whole market or bear specific competence when it comes to home valuation. A certified, Maine licensed professional who bases their livelihood on valuing properties in and around Penobscot County creates the appraisal. Likewise, the agent has a vested interest in the property's selling price whereas the appraiser is bound by a code of ethics to accept a flat sum for work they perform, regardless of their outcome.

What are the contents of an appraisal report?   (Back to top)

Each appraisal should reflect a credible value opinion and must clearly state the following:
  • Who engaged the appraiser and whose purposes the appraisal is to serve.
  • How the appraisal is supposed to be used.
  • The purpose of the assignment.
  • The type of value reported and a definition of the value reported.
  • The effective date of the appraisal.
  • Characteristics of the property that have a bearing on the value, including: location, physical characteristics, legal attributes, economic attributes, the real property interest valued, and non-real estate items included in the appraisal, such as personal property, permanent equipment installations and even intangible considerations.
  • All known easements, restrictions, encumbrances, leases, reservations, covenants, contracts, declarations, special assessments, ordinances, and the like.
  • Division of interest, such as fractional interest, physical segment and partial holding.
  • The scope of work considered to complete the assignment.
For a more detailed look at what goes into an appraisal report click here: Sample Appraisal Report

Once the appraisal is done, how can I have certainty that the final number is valid?   (Back to top)

In communicating an appraisal report, each appraiser must make sure of the following:
  • That the information analysis contained in the appraisal was suitable.

  • That substantial errors of omission or commission were not committed individually or collectively.

  • That appraisal services were done in a careful and conscientious manner.

  • The final appraisal report was clear, credible and defensible.
To become a state licensed appraiser, we must satisfy intense education and experience requirements that train us to produce an unbiased opinion. Plus, appraisers must obey a strict industry code of ethics and comply with national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The tenets for developing an appraisal and reporting its results are insured by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).


    (Back to top) Regulations regarding licensing and certification of Real Estate Appraisers are different from state to state. In general, licensing and certification is most often associated with many hours of coursework, tests and real world experience. Once licensed, he or she is required to engage in continuing education courses in order to keep the license up to date. To see the specific requirements for any state click here.

Who do appraisers work for?   (Back to top)

Typically, appraisers are called upon by mortgage lenders to estimate the value of a house involved in a loan transaction - to make sure the real estate is truly adequate collateral for the loan. Attorneys and CPAs also retain the services of appraisers for divorce and estate settlements.

Where does an appraiser get the data used to estimate values in Penobscot County or other areas?   (Back to top)

Gathering data is one of the primary things an appraiser does. Data can be described as either Specific or General. Specific data is collected from the property itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specific data are documented by the appraiser while on site.

General data is gathered from a many sources. Local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) have information on recently sold homes that might be used as comparables. Tax records and other public documents reveal actual sales prices in a market. Appraisers routinely have to report when a property lies in a flood zone, and that information is retrieved from a FEMA data outlet such as a la mode's InterFlood service.

And most importantly, the appraiser assembles general data from his or her past experience in doing assignments for other properties in the same market.

What can a full appraisal do for me?   (Back to top)

An appraisal is a valuable tool anytime your home's value is pertinent to a financial decision. For those selling a home, you'll want to figure out the price that gets you the most profit but also ensures you don't have to wait too long for a buyer to show up; an appraisal can help with that. If you're buying, it makes sure you don't overpay. For parties settling an estate or divorce, an appraisal from JM Appraisal Services is the best way to ensure assets are divided fairly. Simply put, a home is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Don't make decisions in the dark with a professional appraisal.

What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it?   (Back to top)

PMI is the common abbreviation for for Private Mortgage Insurance. It protects the lender in case a borrower doesn't pay on the loan and the value of the home is lower than the loan balance. You can have your PMI dropped once you've achieved 20% equity in your home through appreciation and principal payments.

Has your home value appreciated since you first purchased? Contact JM Appraisal Services today at 2077353255 to see if you can save money by removing your Private Mortgage Insurance premium.

Should I do anything in advance of the appraisal inspection   (Back to top)

We begin with an inspection of the home. During this process, the appraiser will come to your home and measure it, determine the layout of the rooms inside, confirm all aspects of the home's general condition, and take several photos of your house for inclusion in the report. The best thing you can do to help is make sure we have easy access to the exterior of the house . Trim any landscaping and relocate any items that would get in our way while we measure the structure. Indoors, make sure the appraiser can easily access appliances like furnaces and water heaters.

You can make our visit go faster and improve the accuracy of the appraisal report by having the following things on hand:
  • Information on any written private agreements, such as a shared driveway with a neighbor.
  • Title policy that describes encroachments or easements.
  • Any "Homeowners Associations" agreements or, if applicable, condo covenants or fees .
  • Find copies of the current listing agreement, broker's data sheet and, in the event of a pending sale.
  • A list of "proposed" improvements when the property is being appraised "as complete".

What does "Market Value" mean?   (Back to top)

In real estate appraising, Market Value is commonly defined as:

"The most probable price (in terms of money) which a property should bring in a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller each acting prudently and knowledgeably, and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus. Implicit in this definition is the consummation of a sale as of a specified date and the passing of title from seller to buyer under conditions whereby: the buyer and seller are typically motivated; both parties are well informed or well advised, and acting in what they consider their best interests; a reasonable time is allowed for exposure in the open market; payment is made in terms of cash in United States dollars or in terms of financial arrangements comparable thereto; and the price represents the normal consideration for the property sold unaffected by special or creative financing or sales concessions granted by anyone associated with the sale."

Who has rights to the appraisal report?   (Back to top)

For mortgage transactions, the lender requests the appraisal, either directly or through a third party. Even though it's the buyer that eventually pays for the report, the lender is the intended user. The buyer is entitled to a copy of the appraisal - it's usually bundled with all the other closing documents - but is not allowed to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.

This rule doesn't apply when a home owner engages an appraiser directly. In these situations, the appraiser may define how the appraisal can be used; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not noted otherwise, the home owner can do whatever they want with the appraisal.

I want to get more for my house. Where should I spend money renovating?   (Back to top)

Like all things real estate, this is dependent on a home's location. For example, adding a central air conditioner in to a home in the South may add significant value, while putting one in a home near the Pacific Northwest might not have much impact.

As a rule, the most value returned from renovating a home comes in the kitchen. According to one national survey, kitchen remodels returned an average of 88% of the investment. In other words, a $10,000 kitchen remodeling project would add approximately $8,800 to the value of the home. Bathrooms are right up there with kitchens, yielding 85%. Adding bedrooms and baths can also help the value of your home as long as your home doesn't then become an oddball for your neighborhood in terms of size.