Fall leaves and the appraisers mailbag • Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn answers some appraisal questions he was asked recently about comps, home updates, and types of appraisals.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn answers some appraisal questions he was asked recently about comps, home updates, and types of appraisals.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Most people have a good idea of what market value is. A short and abbreviated definition of Market Value is as follows: Market value is the most probable price 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, […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
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 explains the top FHA appraisal problems that buyers, sellers, and agents need to be aware of.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham appraiser Tom Horn has put together a millennial's guide to understanding the home appraisal to help this large segment of home buyers.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Alabaster, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses 5 Things Agents MUST Do Before Every FHA Appraisal. Make sure your FHA loans close on time by following these rules.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn explains what gross living area is in an appraisal report, and why all areas of the home are not the same.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Getting accurate square footage is important when selling your home. Find out the many benefits to getting your home measured by a professional.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses why agents should not totally rely on price per square foot when pricing a home.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses how the Coronavirus pandemic may effect Birmingham home values.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham home appraiser Tom Horn discusses home improvements that do nothing for your home value. Make sure you read this before spending too much money.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses how adding an appraiser to your team during a home renovation project is a smart move.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL area real estate appraiser| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham home appraiser Tom Horn discusses what options you have if you get a low appraisal.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I recently appraised a home for a refinance loan that was not the neatest one I’ve ever seen. It was an appraisal for a conventional loan, which is not as strict as FHA loans are, so there were no issues or additional requirements. If this had been an FHA loan the appraisal may have turned […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I recently did an appraisal in the Chelsea Park Subdivision in Chelsea, Alabama and I thought I would share with you what’s going on there. This is a large residential development that has experienced new construction growth in 2013. Chelsea Park is located just south of Highway 280 in Shelby, County Alabama. It is a […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Tom Horn discusses some important points that sellers should consider when asking themselves whether a Birmingham home appraisal is worth the money.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Most people only think about real estate appraisals when they are buying or refinancing a home. In truth real estate appraisals are used for many other “non traditional” uses. Appraisals are required any time the value of real estate is needed. The value may be as of the date it was inspected or it could […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I know that some of you will say “Why should I get an appraisal when I am an agent and can do my own market analysis?”, but there are benefits to the appraisal. My main concern here is with the homeowner who want you to over price their home. When you know that they are […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Real estate appraiser Tom Horn provides an Alabaster, AL Real Estate Market Report for September 2014. Find out how sales have been for this area.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses the confusion about who owns the appraisal report.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses the questions appraisers ask agents and why they need to know this information. By working together the whole real estate process goes a lot smoother.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses how the entrance of Offerpad into the local market may effect Birmingham home values.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses the appraisal contingency and why it is important in today's world of property inspection waivers, AVM's, and hybrid appraisals.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham appraiser Tom Horn discusses the AMC's plan to create a new army of appraisers that could jeopardize the public's perception of our profession.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses 4 ethics rules Zillow may be breaking when they give a Zestimate.| 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
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses what affect the new Collateral Underwriter might have on appraisers, real estate agents and loan closings.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Real estate appraisal topics that have been in the news.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses what free home appraisals are and whether they can be used by banks.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Appraisal FAQ's that Tom Horn has answered. He shares these to help educate others so that they understand the real estate appraisal process.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Think you know how appraisals work? Birmingham, AL home appraiser Tom Horn clears up 12 common appraisal misconceptions in this must-read post.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham home appraiser Tom Horn gives 11 tips to real estate agents when choosing comps.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses 5 important things agents should know about the ANSI measurement standard.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I get a lot of questions about FHA appraisals and what types of repairs are required, and which ones are not. As I have stated in a previous blog post, most items of repair in an FHA appraisal are related to safety, soundness, and security. Some items will definitely need to be repaired before the […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I talk with real estate agents quite a bit in my day to day work as a real estate appraiser. It seem like FHA appraisal requirements are the most confusing to them in relation to what appraisers look for during our appraisal inspections. By knowing what an appraiser looks for, the agent can better prepare […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Common Appraisal Questions Agents Should Be Able to Answer As a new real estate agent, you probably already know the importance of appraisals in your sales transactions. Whether you’re representing a buyer or a seller, appraisals can play an important part in the deal’s success—or its failure. In the previous posts, we covered the basics […] The post Answering Common Appraisal Questions and Establishing Your Expertise as an Agent – Part 3: A Guide for New Agents appeared first on Bi...| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham appraiser Tom Horn shares the appraisal process with new real estate agents so they can provide better service to their clients.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
People may think that I believe this because I am an appraiser, but it truly makes sense. I have seen it happen numerous times. A house is selling and everything has been done: contract, title, home inspection, etc. and the last thing is the appraisal. Unfortunately sometimes the value just isn’t there, and the deal […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn answers a common question: How do appraisers make adjustments? Get the inside scoop on how appraisers work.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
A New Agent’s Guide to the Basics of Real Estate Appraisal Starting out as a real estate agent can be overwhelming. You’re juggling paperwork, client expectations, and the intricacies of the market. One area that often causes confusion is the appraisal process. Understanding this process is crucial, as it can significantly impact your transactions. In […] The post Understanding the Basics of Real Estate Appraisal: Part 1-A Guide for New Agents appeared first on Birmingham Appraisal Blog...| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham home appraiser Tom Horn discusses how agents can use pending sales in their pricing strategy.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I've written about this in the past but thought I would mention it again because I have received a couple of calls within the past month from loan officers not happy with the appraisals they have received. In both situations, out of town appraisers were used.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham appraiser Tom Horn discusses the benefits of getting a pre-listing appraisal before selling your home.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Appraiser Tom Horn explains how to read and understand a residential real estate appraisal form. From the subject property to the comps he'll show you where it's at and helps you make sense of it.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I was looking at a home this week, for an FHA loan, that had screw in fuses. Have you ever seen these? They use to be common years ago, however at some point they were replaced with circuit breakers. I have been asked by homeowners and real estate agents if these fuses meet HUD’s minimum […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL home appraiser Tom Horn discusses functional obsolescence. He explains what it is and how it affects value.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn explains why price per square foot should not be the main criteria when estimating the value of a home.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn explains how appraisers reconcile value and why they choose the part of the value range they do.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham home appraiser Tom Horn provides realtor tips to help agents accurately price their listings.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
When I first got into the appraisal profession the guy I learned from would always say: “Appraisers don’t make value, they report it”. This is more true today than ever before. Appraisers have been getting a lot of bad press, especially recently, because we are being accused of killing deals. In my opinion, which I […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
If you’re getting an FHA loan and want to make sure the appraisal goes off without a hitch make sure you pay attention to these 5 items. If you don’t then it could delay the loan and your closing. The appraiser has to make note of the items listed below, and if he/she cannot then […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I was speaking with a real estate agent friend recently about FHA appraisals and specifically about items that needed repair. Several years ago HUD made revisions to their guidelines regarding items that needed repair on an FHA purchase. I think they were attempting to make FHA loans more purchaser friendly because their requirements were much […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Are you looking for someone to speak at your Birmingham, Alabama area real estate agent sales meetings? If so, then I may be able to help you. Last week I spoke at two such meetings to discuss local real estate trends as well as appraisal related issues. My goal this year has been to speak […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate Tom Horn shares how he can be your trusted appraisal resource. Let him help you with your appraisal needs.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn can be reached by phone, email, or text. He will promptly return messages.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses the benefits of sharing a prelisting appraisal or keeping it private from potential buyers,| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I was looking into my blog stats recently and ran across a question that someone had typed into their search engine that led them to my blog. The question was “Does the appraiser have to look into my closets? I thought this was such an interesting question that I decided to write a post about […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
This is a question you may have asked yourself at some point. Have you ever dreamed of having one built but don’t know it’s value in your area? Every neighborhood is different, and some areas will give you a bigger return on your investment than others. Swimming pools are always used by appraisers as examples […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
This is a good question that you may have asked yourself at some point in time, especially if you were buying a home. Most people are aware of the traditional areas where you would need an appraisal such as those required when you are buying, refinancing, or building a home. These are the areas that the […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Most people, at some point in their life will probably get a home appraisal. Appraisals are necessary for the following reasons: • Buying a home • Selling a home (either a marketing appraisal or appraisal after contract is signed) • Refinancing a home (either to get a lower rate or to get a home equity […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Have you ever wondered if a house would pass an FHA appraisal inspection? FHA does have more stringent appraisal guidelines than conventional loans but if you know what to look for then you can be ready before any problems come up. I have included some of the top problems I have seen in my 20+ […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Funny you ask. I get asked this question a lot and I have my own thoughts, but it’s nice to know that other professionals agree. In addition to experiencing the local Birmingham market from a first hand experience, I read a lot of market data to assist me in my real estate appraisal business. Local […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Home sales statistics for Savannah Pointe subdivision in Calera, AL from 3/1/2013-3/1/2014| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
In my adventures as a real estate appraiser in Birmingham, Alabama I have seen a lot of things that decrease the value of your home. I thought I would share with you 5 problems I have seen recently so that you can avoid these value killers. Moisture stains on your ceiling is a good sign […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
People outside of the Birmingham, Alabama market area may not know what A.G.D.A. is but they would probably understand its importance. A.G.D.A. stands for Appraiser Group Data Association. It consists of a group of real estate appraisers in the Birmingham metro area that collects data on homes they appraise and share it with one another. […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses why appraisal waivers may not be a good choice for homebuyers.| 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 real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses what a listing agent can do to be proactive in the appraisal process.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL appraiser Tom Horn discusses helpful tips for agents when communicating with the appraiser.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses the use of the algorithm in current home valuations.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses the new Fannie Mae Property Inspection Waiver and what it means for homeowners.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses common reason your home may not appraise. Just because the market is hot does not mean you can list it too high. Find out what you need to avoid when pricing your home for sale so you won't be asking "why didn't my home appraise?"| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I sometimes find that people get the real estate appraiser and the home inspector confused so I thought I would share with you the differences between the two. Both are involved in real estate transactions but each in a different way. I know that both look like they may be doing the same thing when […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn explains the difference between getting an appraisal by a local expert and getting a zestimate from Zillow.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL appraiser Tom Horn discusses what makes a good appraisal comparable and how agents can price their listings more accurately.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, Alabama appraiser Tom Horn discusses what the CMA is and why agents should share it with the appraiser.| 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
I was doing some work recently for a novice property investor and he was asking me some questions about FHA required repairs. He wanted to prepare the house he just purchased so that if the buyers were going to use FHA financing there wouldn’t be any issues at the last minute to hold up the […]| 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
Birmingham real estate appraiser Tom Horn gives top 5 things an agent can do to get a listing ready for the appraisal inspection.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
I was recently presented with the opportunity to be a guest blogger for McKissock. Check out my latest post about state coalitions.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Geographic competence in appraising has become a hot topic over the last couple of years. It refers to an appraisers knowledge of a market and his/her ability to produce an accurate and reliable report. One way to measure this is by looking at someones experience of working in an area. Take a look below at […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Have you ever asked yourself why appraisers make adjustments? It’s not something you think about everyday, but whenever you get an appraisal back from the appraiser or the bank, it’s something you may think about and that may make you scratch your head. Why did they make a positive adjustment for this, and a negative […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
You may ask “what is the difference?” A sale is a comparable (comp), right? Wrong! A comp is a sale, but a sale is not always a comp. Does this sound confusing? If so, stay with me and I will try to explain the difference between the two. I hope I can give you better […]| 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
A "Head and Shoulders" inspection is a requirement of FHA appraisal but many don't know what this is. Real estate appraiser Tom Horn explains what it is and why it's important.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses 5 common appraisal problems and their solutions.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL home appraiser Tom Horn discusses what outlier sales are and why they should not be used in home pricing.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL appraiser Tom Horn discusses why the appraiser-agent relationship is important in a home sales transaction.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL appraiser Tom Horn discusses how a pre-listing appraisal can help to sell an expired listing.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL appraiser Tom Horn explains what a competitive market area is and how it can be used to locate comparable sales.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser discusses options for buyers and sellers when the house doesn't appraise for the contract price| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Many people know what an appraisal is, and they’ve heard of a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) and a BPO (Broker Price Opinion) but they don’t know the difference. Today I thought I would compare these 3 methods used to estimate the value of a property. Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)- The CMA is performed by real estate […]| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL home appraiser Tom Horn discusses the top reasons your appraisal came in low and how to prevent it.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Birmingham, AL real estate appraiser Tom Horn discusses common mistakes homeowners make in pricing their homes.| Birmingham Appraisal Blog
Communication is key in everything. An appraisers job is to communicate the value of real estate to their clients and we accomplish this typically by producing a report that gives detailed information about the property we are appraising as well as market data that supports our opinion of value. Because this is part of our […]| 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
