My appraisal
specialties include appraisals for
Date of Death,
Trusts,
Estates,
Before
Buying,
Before Selling,
and
Bankruptcy, although I
have extensive experience in other specialties as
well.
What is different about the service I
provide?
I am providing desktop appraisals that can be
as reliable as traditional home appraisals,
for a fraction of the fee of standard
mortgage lender appraisals, to help clients who
need appraisals for matters that don't involve
mortgages. Prior to becoming an
appraiser I was the head of technology at a
financial and entertainment companies, and have
leveraged those skills to produce appraisals
that stand apart from what common appraisers
can provide.
Are desktop appraisals you provide reliable?
The short answer is yes, they are as
reliable as standard appraisals provided I
have adequate data to develop the appraisal.
I collect that data from a myriad of
resources, but can also include pictures and
descriptions that you provide. My
desktop appraisals have been trusted for
valuing properties with values in excess of
$2.5 million dollars and estates totaling more
than $15 million dollars. In fact, I
have been requested to provide the same
desktop appraisal service to assist in the
management of the inventory of Fannie Mae
properties, who is the government regulated
enterprise that requires appraisals for new
mortgages.
The longer answer is that with technology advancing, online home
valuators, such as Zillow.com and Redfin.com,
have gained prominence in conversations about
property value. For a time, I addressed
their values in my appraisals, knowing that my
clients had expectations that were somewhat
set by them. What I found was that they seldom
agreed with one another on value and the significant
majority of the time they were absurdly
inaccurate and
unreliable, although periodically they are
close. The problem is that they do
not take into account properties that have
been renovated and upgraded, that are
deteriorated, or external value influences
such as views or proximity to busy streets.
Upgrades alone can affect property value by
well over $150,000 for a moderately sized
home, which online valuators cannot consider.
This shortcoming includes the property
being valued, as well as the properties being
referenced for value. To date, my
desktop appraisal service have been proven to
be as much as $400,000 more reliable than
these services, but even a $5,000 difference
is a big difference, especially for my
relatively small fee of $199 or $299.
I would love to tell you more and gain
your trust in me, my service, and my process.
To receive the fastest and most efficient
service, please fill out the
online
contact
form which will allow me to become
knowledgeable about the property, the
available data, and your need
before talking to you. However, it is
not required and you can also call me directly
at (760) 534-5449.
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from
you.
Brian Ward
State of California Certified Residential Real
Estate Appraiser
(760) 534-5449