How long should an appraiser look at a house?

[TJSum]

Thanks to everyone who responded, I appreciate all of you who took the time to answer. Clearly, there is quite a range and there are factors that can make a visit longer and shorter. Just to let you know, the guy who did my appraisal clocked in at 12 minutes. Outside took longer, so he was probably inside my house for about 5 minutes to take pictures and ask if there were any problems with the house.

Was the person who showed up at your house the same person who signed off on the report?

 

[hastalavista]

Thanks to everyone who responded, I appreciate all of you who took the time to answer. Clearly, there is quite a range and there are factors that can make a visit longer and shorter. Just to let you know, the guy who did my appraisal clocked in at 12 minutes. Outside took longer, so he was probably inside my house for about 5 minutes to take pictures and ask if there were any problems with the house.

Have you seen the report yet?
If not, I appreciate you taking the survey now. However, the quality of the inspection cannot be evaluated until the report's communication of the subject is reviewed.

I usually take about 30-45 minutes; 20-minutes for a square-box, 2-hours for a complex residential property. Vacant homes are faster (all things being equal). I typically spend about 5-minutes with the borrower reviewing my results and asking if I missed anything or if there is anything they think I should know which I might not see simply by walking around.

I have inspected homes in less than 12-minutes; ones I've previously appraised, have all my prior data, and nothing has changed.

 

[CANative]

I could probably do a house like that in 12 minutes. But I'd take longer if for no other reason than to avoid homeowner concerns similar to yours. Usually the homeowner is happy with a shorter inspection as long as the value opinion works for them. The problem comes up when the value is too low.

You have to understand that most of us have inspected thousands and thousands of houses. Even though none are the same, the techniques do not change much. And the small details don't really mean much as far as the valuation process goes.

 

[TC]

11.2 minutes, but only if I take my shoes off, that way I can move faster.

 

[TheXman]

Have you seen the report yet?
If not, I appreciate you taking the survey now. However, the quality of the inspection cannot be evaluated until the report's communication of the subject is reviewed.

Do you mean the appraisal itself? I do have the appraisal itself, but I do not know what survey you are talking about or what the "communication of the subject" is. Bear with me, I'm not used to all the terminology yet.

 

[TheXman]

Was the person who showed up at your house the same person who signed off on the report?

I think so, he didn't introduce himself.

 

[hastalavista]

Do you mean the appraisal itself? I do have the appraisal itself, but I do not know what survey you are talking about or what the "communication of the subject" is. Bear with me, I'm not used to all the terminology yet.

You are asking appraisers on the forum how long it takes them to complete their site inspection. You are surveying them for their answers; that is the survey I reference. You are taking a survey.

The subject of the appraisal is the house. The report communicates the appraisal results. I'm presuming that you are asking about the time the appraiser spent at your house because you think it was not long enough (this is implied in your raising the question). I'm asking if you received the appraisal report because, regardless what we say here (10-min, 20-min, 30-min, etc.), that is only half the evaluation equation. The second half is how adequate was the report's description of your house and were there any significant factual errors or omissions?

If the appraiser was at your house for 12-minutes, and the report accurately and factually describes your home (the improvements), then 12-minutes was sufficient time spent at your house for the appraiser. If there are significant errors (and I don't mean off by 50-feet area on a 1,850sf home): like, you have 5 bedrooms and the report indicates 4, or you've remodeled your kitchen and the report makes no mention of that (likewise, you have some needed repairs and the report makes no mention of that) then one could say that 12-minutes was not enough time for the appraiser to inspect the property.

So....
1. You are taking a survey of appraisers here; you have feedback on how long it takes some of us to do an inspection.
2. The appraiser for your appraisal was at your house for 12-minutes.
3. You do have a copy of the appraisal report.
Question: Is the description of your home (the improvements) factually accurate?
If so, 12-minutes apparently was enough time. If not, it could be 12-minutes was not enough time (it could be the appraiser is incompetent no matter how long he/she spent inspecting your house).

Some things that are significant to the owner are inconsequential to the appraisal process. Condition, size, configuration, upgrades, needed repairs, view, are things that are typically significant.
Were these things factual and accurate in your report?

 

[TheXman]

Question: Is the description of your home (the improvements) factually accurate?
If so, 12-minutes apparently was enough time. If not, it could be 12-minutes was not enough time (it could be the appraiser is incompetent no matter how long he/she spent inspecting your house).

Some things that are significant to the owner are inconsequential to the appraisal process. Condition, size, configuration, upgrades, needed repairs, view, are things that are typically significant.
Were these things factual and accurate in your report?

The appraiser only listed our kitchen as being upgraded, but our home has been remodeled throughout: living room, family room, hallway, kitchen, both bathrooms, skylights and new copper plumbing throughout were also added. The appraiser did not list any of these other upgrades. I don't know if bathroom upgrades or copper plumbing are used to make adjustments to comps or not, but I would think that these are factors which play a major role in choosing comps. I should expect to see the comps reflect similar upgrades or be of somewhat more recent construction, right? My house was built in 1974. All of the comps were built between 1971 and 1975, but only two list any remodels. There are other comps on the market built between 1984 and 2009. Is it reasonable to use one of these comps (say one built between 1984 and 1995) to compare to my home that was completely remodeled in 2001 for more than $100,000?
Thanks,
Josh

 

[Michigan CG]

Copper plumbing adds exactly NO VALUE. I would prefer pex.

It is impossible to look up MLS records searching for copper plumbing; many MLS records do not list recent updates. You have to remember that appraisers are using information from Realtors, and you too can become a Realtor in about two months.

The average buyer of a home spends less than an hour inside their prospective home before they make an offer.

 

[Stone]

Time to quit looking for a free answer and hire someone. If you are convinced you are correct, pay an appraiser and find out what someone you hire thinks. Not everything can be answered on a message board.