The Appraisal Process

The appraisal process begins when an order is placed. It’s an advantage to hire a local appraiser who is familiar with your area. An appraiser from Los Angeles probably isn’t going to understand your neighborhood in Bakersfield, Taft, Shafter, or Wasco like a local appraiser based in your area. Our clients are fortunate in that our appraiser is a life-long Kern County resident. Mike Doran lives in Bakersfield, CA and has extensive knowledge of Bakersfield and the surrounding towns and areas in Kern County.

Once we receive your order we will call and schedule an appraisal inspection.

It’s important to note that an appraisal inspection is not the same as a home inspection. A residential appraisal inspection involves measuring the property to ensure that it is approximately the same as what is recorded in public records. We’re also verifying that any additions are permitted. Additionally, we are inspecting to ensure the home is habitable and meets basic requirements. This process also includes taking numerous pictures including the exterior of the home, pool (if any), bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, and living area.

It’s always important that residents are not in any of the pictures, so if the appraiser has his camera out, it’s always a good idea to steer clear of the frame. Additionally, it’s a good idea to make the appraiser aware of any animals and pets on the property, especially if you have a dog that likes to bark a lot or might bite.

A list of improvements is always appreciated. If you’ve replaced the air conditioning, roof, added solar, or updated to new energy efficient windows since you’ve purchased the property it’s a good idea to let the appraiser know.

Keep in mind that the appraiser is looking to compare your home to similar properties. If your house is a two-story the appraiser will need to compare your home to other two-story homes. If a house around the corner is listed for sale for a particular price, it’s important to know that the value of your home is largely based on sales that have already closed in the last 6 months.

The inspection is the easiest part of the process. Once the inspection is completed the appraiser has to compile the report which includes a lot of research, data entry, and possible phone calls to realtors and entities in charge of permitting additions, regulating zoning, etc. This is why we usually tell clients that it takes 3-5 business days from the date of inspection depending on the property. If it will take longer than that we always make sure the client is aware ahead of time.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us any time.