How Many Of Of You Use The Assessor Sketch?

[Bobby Bucks]

It amazes me that some fail to see that there is a major difference between relying solely on an assessor’s sketch for the subject and using that sketch as a time saver in the field. Once again, I measure the subject and write in the exterior dimensions next to the lines I have already drawn on my graph paper. There is another time saver I use which is probably considered slovenly and unprofessional by some. Before I go to the subject, I print out the parcel tax map card which shows the exact location of the site. If it’s located at 9005 Otis Avenue on a corner lot where Hicks Alley (an unpaved secondary road with potholes) intersects, it will save me a few minutes finding it. My guess is that many in here will drive up and down the street for 15 minutes squinting at mailboxes to find the right address. What if the street is several miles long? What if it crosses a major highway? A river? Go ahead, be professional and ask a dozen neighbors where the subject is located and record the conversations.

 

[Ray Miller]

Outside of Dane County, forget it. How many townships have their records available at all? Most of the time, you have to call someone at home, leave a message and wait. When (if) you get a call back, sometimes that person has some raw data available and other times you might be able to make an appointment to see the file, which likely won't include the sketch.

Trying telling that to some lenders that want those 24/48 hour turn times.

Some of the township I cover the assessor lives clear across the state and thats where the records are. He maybe out in another township working for the week or he may be appraising on the side. You get your answer by mail or a phone call a week or two later. I have found most of the time the town clerk or town chair is out plowing a field or milking a cows and then come to find out when you do get ahold of them they really don't have the information at hand and you still wait.

What I really like is when you get to the county court house and the treasurer has put a note on the door that says; gone fishing for the day or week. You may have driven all your sales selected for comparables, view your subject and all you have left is the court house. Oh well it can wait till the next route day next week.

But I still would not trade the rural area I cover for that of the city. Yesterday I step back into time for a bit. As I was headed up 35. Look out to my left and there was the "Mississippi Belle" and the "Mississippi Queen" one headed up river and the other down river. That warm fall sunshine, a breeze blowing from the sw. Felt just like Mark Twain was up in the pliots house on one of them. Yep I pulled over, got out of the truck and walk over to the river bank, just stood there and watched them for a bit. Got back in the truck pick up the cell phone and called for resevation to make a two day trip on the Belle.

 

[Annemieke Roell]

Originally posted by Bobby Bucks@Nov 3 2005, 08:55 AM
Before I go to the subject, I print out the parcel tax map card which shows the exact location of the site. If it’s located at 9005 Otis Avenue on a corner lot where Hicks Alley (an unpaved secondary road with potholes) intersects, it will save me a few minutes finding it. My guess is that many in here will drive up and down the street for 15 minutes squinting at mailboxes to find the right address. What if the street is several miles long? What if it crosses a major highway? A river? Go ahead, be professional and ask a dozen neighbors where the subject is located and record the conversations.

We just turn on the laptop, read the legal and pinpoint it on the range and section map book.

 

[Nancy Wyatt]

I've never used it. I haven't even found them on line-except 1 county, and they haven't updated in years, so only the older homes have it.

 

[Pamela Crowley (Florida)]

How Many Of Of You Use The Assessor Sketch?

Me = NEVER!!!!!

I measure for myself no matter what!

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

This is a very sad thread. Who says we're better than AVMs

curious statement. I would think everyone used all the data available to them. Assessor records, tax records, MLS records.

Our assessor is very accurate at measuring the exterior, but the interior walls like in the garage, they cannot do right without some help. I measure that which needs measured, and use the most appropriate measurements. And is it more accurate adjustment when we measure exactly the subject then subtract the difference we derive from the comparables for a per SF adjustment?

I mean how are you measuring the comps? Do you take a picture, then hop out and measure the comp? If you didn't then you tracked down the appraiser who did measure it and find out the exact GLA, right? Ha

Assessor Your measure

subject 1,920 1,946

Comp 1 1,980 ?

Comp 2 1,886 ?

Comp 3 1895 ?

So...if the assessor is 2% off your measure, why wouldn't they be 2% off on the comps? So if $40/SF is the adjustment, is the adjustment on Comp 2 $2,400 or is it 2,400 ±2%? But what if Comp 2 is actually 1,940? You just adjusted it $2,400 when no adjustment was probably necessary....common sense needs to apply.

I do measure the house for residential work. I don't measure barns if I know how big they are. I don't use MLS photos, but in both cases, common sense tells me that if the MLS photo is good and my photo is obscured by trees, etc...well, i am not going to trespass as a matter of policy, and likewise, there are complex houses that defy accurate measurement. I have encountered several over the years...having a second opinion is very nice.

And, legally speaking and with the Insurers comments in mind, I had an old CG tell me that the assessor measurements were "fact" and relying on "fact" was always a good thing in court..He referenced the assessor measurements for court cases and if there was a big descrepency between his estimate and the assessor, he explained why in the report.

 

[Stone]

Originally posted by Ray Miller@Nov 3 2005, 08:08 AM
But I still would not trade the rural area I cover for that of the city. Yesterday I step back into time for a bit. As I was headed up 35. Look out to my left and there was the "Mississippi Belle" and the "Mississippi Queen" one headed up river and the other down river. That warm fall sunshine, a breeze blowing from the sw. Felt just like Mark Twain was up in the pliots house on one of them. Yep I pulled over, got out of the truck and walk over to the river bank, just stood there and watched them for a bit. Got back in the truck pick up the cell phone and called for resevation to make a two day trip on the Belle.

I don't do mortgage work outside of the immediate area for a reason. B)

I do like the rural work. Walked five large rural parcels last Thursday and Friday. They were really nice days and it was great to be outside. Although, I forgot it was a T-Zone hunting period until I started driving and noticed all the parked cars and trucks along the roads. :blink: Thankfully I carry my orange this time of year.

 

[charlie grove]

"there are complex houses that defy accurate measurement."

Some complex houses are very DIFFICULT to measure. I have not yet met a defiant house. I have done round houses with additions that required me to go back to my college level math to calculate the size. The page of calculations helped to justify the significantly higher fee. The Realtor and assessor were both way off in their measurements. Admitedly unique houses such as underground, irregular shaped adobe, etc. cannot be measured with absolute certainty, but I still think you need some objective way of measuring and/or estimating the living area. If you are relying on someone else's measurements, that should be very clear in your report.

As a reviewer, I will not be impressed that you used the assessor's numbers because the house defy's measurement. If you couldn't figure out how to measure it, how did the assessor come up with the number? If I only wanted the assessor's expertise, why bother hiring you?

If the house is difficult and time consuming to measure, maybe the fee should be a little higher!!!! .

 

[Webbed Feet]

Originally posted by PL Norusis@Nov 2 2005, 05:15 PM
The reason for using the assessor's sketch or dimensions off of a survey is that it gives you an independently verifiable source for your data. Not necessarily a correct source, but a source that is unbiased and has no dog in the appraisal fight. If it's obviously in error, you can't use it, but if it's close, why not?

Please define "Close" and explain how you determined that?

Not only by definition, but by my signed certifications and personal nature, when I take an appraisal engagement I AM an "unbiased" source with no "dog" involved in any "fight". I do not need a third parties data to verify that.

Using an assessor's sketch, along with personal measuring, for an additional tool is harmless and can be of benefit to everyone.

Using an assessor's sketch, when personal measuring is available to the appraiser and no reason exists not to measure the subject, then failing to clearly state this is what one did in the report and reproducing the sketch with appraisal sketching programs...is not only plagiarism but it is fraud... The client beleives you measured that house ... not stole the sketch data from some other source.

Plagiarism is often a cause college students get tossed out of a college when it's discovered..... I would say it's even more so a reason to revoke a license at our level.... Yes, we have a debate stating that most appraisers do not measure comparable and so inherently use assessor, home owner, or real estate broker measurements on the comparable... So why not use the same on the subject? ... I personally respond to that as this is just rationalizing additional dumbing down of our profession, laziness, and Skippisims.....

Informing your clients at the time of engagement that you are not going to personally measure subject properties, but going to only use assessor's sketches, and then proceeding to do so with their knowledge, disclosure, and permission to do that is one thing. .... Just doing it with no disclosure is something else entirely.... I say it is not the standard of one's peers and the applicable appraisal board should be notified.

Barry Dayton

 

[TEL2002]

Again like Bobby, I always use them - to assist me. I always measure because the county is wrong so darn many times. It gives me a starting point, it is faster and if , my measuring agrees with the sketch I do not have to write down the #.

When I started you could get the county cards and sketches on microfiche and my mentor (who NEVER measured) used them religiously. For those that do not have online records, maybe your county has the microfiche available. Would be worth checking out.