How to Read An Appraisal Report: Skim for the Highlights, Page by Page

You love your home, but let’s face it: its appraisal report is not a real page-turner. No judgment if your eyes start to glaze over halfway through the first section. However, it’s one of those documents that’ll be incredibly useful to decipher if you ever decide to get your home professionally valued or if there’s a dispute over how much your home is worth when you sell it. Understanding how to read an appraisal report is key to making informed property decisions. In a nutshell, this document contains the appraiser’s opinion of value and the factors the appraiser used to arrive at that number. “I’d say 90% of the time, appraisers do a fantastic job,” says John Krol, an accomplished Naples-area real estate agent who gets 88% of his listings sold and regularly works with appraisers. But there’s a small chance that “the appraiser doesn’t have what they need or it’s due the next day,” explains Krol. That’s when some honest mistakes might occur. Get an Estimate on Your Home's Value Our Home Value Estimator uses your property information and local housing market data to deliver an accurate home value. You’ll receive a detailed analysis of your home straight to your inbox immediately, an...