It's a.......EARTH HOME!?!

[Tiny280]

It was a beautiful towering punt - nice spiral and everything.

I gave the lender my "Go Away" price 8O , and it looks like they are going away.

Thanks for the input all.

 

[Jim McGrath]

It's an EARTH HOME, completely buried in the ground except for the front door and four or five windows (yep, dirt and grass for a roofing system).

Anyone been down this road before, or should I just reject the order, with apologies for my utter lack of competence of course (thank-you USPAP).

With so many boring routine assignments lately, I'd like to sink my teeth into something a bit challenging (for an appropriate fee of course :wink: ), but without some help from my friends , this one will be rejected.

Tiny280, here in Florida if we go down two feet we hit water, they don't even have basements here, due to the water level. But if I had a chance to do an earth home, I'd jump on it in a NY minute, as I like the tough ones. I would probably do the first one free just for the chance to do it. Remember it is just as hard for another appraiser to do as it would be for you to do it, so don't turn it down, if you have enough experience as an appraiser. You can get answers here from appraisers who have done them. Just explain everything in your report.

Jim McGrath

 

[Tiny280]

No way Jim.

I like the tough ones on occasion myself, but I am doing this for a living - no way I take this one on for the standard URAR price (unless one of my best clients sends the order).

I gave them my "Go Away" price (approx 3X the standard URAR) last week and haven't heard back, so I guess they went away. It seems likely they told the prospective buyer to go conventional or forget it. The subject still shows as active, not "Contingent" or "In Contract" on the MLS, so maybe the deal fell apart completely.

Now I'm hoping that when that white elephant does sell it is financed by someone who uses the stretch artist down the street.

I just got an order for another unusual property that should keep me interested for a while - don't need to work for free just yet. And that lender didn't even blink at the "Go Away" price :lol:

 

[Jim McGrath]

No way Jim.

I just got an order for another unusual property that should keep me interested for a while - don't need to work for free just yet. And that lender didn't even blink at the "Go Away" price :lol:

I didn't mean for you to work for free, I just meant I might do one that way if I got a chance, but there really is no way here in Southwest Florida where the water table is about two feet down most of the year. That way I know I'll never get one, so it's easy to offer a free one.

Jim McGrath

 

[jtrotta]

Tiny,
It ain't over till it's over 8O - they just haven't heard back from the others (4X normal fee) - hope it's over for you,
b u t 8)

 

[Richard Carlsen]

Call it a "Contemporary Semi-Bermed Home with Oklahoma Dust Bowl Roofing" and get ready to write at least 11 pages of addendum’s, support with 4 comps from at least 5 surrounding states and wish you had listened to us.

If in doubt, ask the UW up front what they want and if it is too much, punt.

I will inspect a semi-bermed house Friday that I will have appraiser for the 4th time in 4 years and why I keep going back it beyond me. Must be a little masochistic (and wanting to pay for that new fishing boat)

 

[Anonymous]

Agree about the SF issue. I know a house I personally measured with 3200 SF plus a FROG (finished room over garage) of 600 SF. listed as 5,119 SF. This is basically, the outside dimension times three plus the FROG. The grand room is open to the ceiling and is not included in GLA, this accounts for the difference basically. The SF is the assessors exterior measurement, and they did not allow for the Grand Room (even though it would be impossible not to notice from the outside considering they had to measure in front of the 18' + tall windows in the room.) One local MLS has the annoying habit of using a range of SF 1800-2000, 2000-2500, etc. And they are not reliable either.