Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn answers this important question: What type of information do I need to lower my Birmingham, AL real estate taxes| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses who owns the mortgage appraisal and what the buyer can do to make sure they don't overpay.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Have you ever wondered why the appraiser needs a copy of the sales contract? They’re just going to use it to come in at the contract price, right (not really)? If you’ve ever asked yourself this question I hope I can help you understand why it is important that the appraiser review the sales contract […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL appraiser Tom Horn discusses why there are differences between the square footage in your appraisal and public records.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn answers the question: What Is A Comparable? Find out what criteria appraisers use to choose comps.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I get asked this question a lot, so I thought I would address this issue that many people are curious about. I don’t think it happens ALL the time but I know real estate agents have seen it enough to question why it seems the appraisers value is the same as the contract amount. To […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
This is a question I hear all of the time. It seems like such a simple question but the implementation of various laws several years ago has confused real estate agents about whether they are allowed to provide sales comparables to the appraiser. Many believe they cannot even communicate with the appraiser, but this is […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the 2014 Alabama Realtors Winter Conference. I was part of a panel, along with commercial appraiser Mark Barrs (that’s he and I in the photo), that was put together to answer appraisal related questions that agents might have. It went well and I appreciated the chance to […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses the 5 Items An Appraiser Looks For In An MLS Listing to help in estimating value.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
A few days ago I had a real estate agent friend ask me how much homes were appraising for per square foot in a local neighborhood. It was a very good question, especially for anyone who wants to get an idea of their home’s value. And because I get asked this question a lot I […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Over the past several years appraisers and real estate agents have had a confusing relationship. When I say this I am mainly talking about an agents understanding of exactly what they can and cannot talk to an appraiser about. I thought I would approach this topic from a qualifications point of view and look at […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
On January 18th a new law went into effect that could potentially prolong loan closing dates because it will require lenders to provide a copy of the appraisal or other valuation tool used to make a loan decision to their customer as soon as it is completed or 3 days prior to the closing, whichever […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I was recently asked by a real estate agent if a sunroom could be included in the gross living area of a home. The is the explanation I gave them.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I had a reader email me a question last week asking why they should get an appraisal on their home, and I want to share with you the answer I gave them with the hope that it can help you make a similar decision. This person asked me “Why do I need to get an […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses five things you must do after getting your appraisal to help save time and/or money.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I spoke recently at a local Realtor group about how Realtors could “think like an appraiser”. By being on the same page as the appraiser I believe that there will be fewer value issues on the back end of the sales transaction. By following similar methods as appraisers to arrive at their list prices, Realtors […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog