Many of our clients are unfamiliar with the appraisal process. Some are first time home buyers, others are refinancing for the first time and may have not had an appraisal when they purchased or inherited their home. Some are family members involved in an estate planning or court proceedings. This page is for those who need to know what it is that an appraiser does.

Many of the residential appraisals we do are completed on forms which have been developed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two Mortgage organizations which dominate the lending industry. These forms differ according to the purpose and scope of the appraisal. The common thread in all of them is an evaluation of the current market conditions in the area where the home or property is located and an estimation of the current market value of the property.  Our estimation of the value is based on recent sales of nearby properties that have a similar appeal as the subject of the appraisal. In the case of homes we look for similar style, age, parcel size, square footage, room count, and condition as near to the home we are appraising as possible. These sales, called comparables, typically must have been sold within the last year to be used in our reports. While recent sales are used to estimate the current value of your home our conclusions often factor in many years of data and trends from the neighborhood. This is the area in which experience plays a key roll in an accurate appraisal.

When an appraisal is requested an appraiser will make an appointment with you to inspect your home. The inspection will often include measurement of the living area and other areas, photographs, and a sketch of the floorplan of the home. The appraiser will then do the necessary research on similar area sales to complete an accurate estimate of value.

We are located in the T/O Marbletown, Ulster County, and are familiar with Sullivan, Ulster, Orange, Greene, and Delaware County neighborhoods. Click here  Prices  for our current price list and a list of the areas we cover.  We can be reached at 845-657-8571 or Email Us