Lazy appraiser did not measure

[G-man]

Amen to that

The major problem, IN MY MARKET, is that real estate agents don't measure...they use what is of public record. So, how do I know the square footage for the comps is accurate? Also, if someone reviews my work where is the first place they check for the GLA? Public record and since 1976 that is taken from the builder's plans. Assessors don't measure any more.

Should an appraiser personally measure the subject? Of course! Do they all do it? Probably not!

I've noticed many Realtors obtaining GLA from Assessors records, especially for bank owned properties. This is especially bad in S.E. Michigan. I've appraised several REO sales where the subject is almost TWICE as large as the Realtor has stated. A 1,500 Sq. Ft. newer home measures out to 2,400 Sq. Ft. A 1,100 Sq. Ft. turns out to be 1,850 Sq. Ft. I'm wondering if this may be a reason they are selling at so low a price? The pricing of these homes would most likely be different if the correct GLA was used. IMHO.

 

[RSW]

Final inspections would cost much more if the appraiser actually measured the property as part of the final. Not normal course of business...IN MY MARKET. I think the appraiser is covered by saying the appraisal was "from plans and specs".

How do you know it was from plans and specs if you don't pull a tape on the subject property?

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

Is there any issues with this?? If not, I am going to save
myself 30 minutes on site and do the same thing!

Talk to me people.

put the plans in, sketch anyway

You are not required to measure, but you are responsible if it isn't correct.

exactly

appraisers job for an on-site inspection is to measure the property

no your job is to value the thing, measuring is incidental. I am curious why so many are passionate about measuring when they are still doing drive bys....

Personally I trust Plans to be correct, but I would verify. If I was different from the Plans, I would find out why.

If you haven't come around a house built like a maze then you just haven't been appraising long enough. BTW, I am curious how most of you appraise 3 and 4 story homes from the exterior to the tenth of a foot. It is one thing to measure the footprint, quite another to measure interior walls that may be false, low, etc. then estimate some wall thickness that might be .25' off

Once when I was on the Board of Equalization I went with a county appraiser to measure a home that was contested. We easily spent an hour at the residence with the owner, who was also the builder and a retired engineer at that, measuring and remeasuring the home. Neither his estimate nor the original county estimate matched ours but we vetted the results with him on the spot and he agreed with us. It made a good deal of difference on his valuation.

 

[Bama Bayou]

put the plans in, sketch anyway
exactly
no your job is to value the thing, measuring is incidental. I am curious why so many are passionate about measuring when they are still doing drive bys....

Personally I trust Plans to be correct, but I would verify. If I was different from the Plans, I would find out why.

If you haven't come around a house built like a maze then you just haven't been appraising long enough. BTW, I am curious how most of you appraise 3 and 4 story homes from the exterior to the tenth of a foot. It is one thing to measure the footprint, quite another to measure interior walls that may be false, low, etc. then estimate some wall thickness that might be .25' off
Once when I was on the Board of Equalization I went with a county appraiser to measure a home that was contested. We easily spent an hour at the residence with the owner, who was also the builder and a retired engineer at that, measuring and remeasuring the home. Neither his estimate nor the original county estimate matched ours but we vetted the results with him on the spot and he agreed with us. It made a good deal of difference on his valuation.

My bold. I don't estimate wall thickness. I measure the thickness of the wall by opening a door or a window. Not real hard.

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

I measure the thickness of the wall by opening a door or a window

really....iwbtwisi....
so on 1½ sty house with a sloped roof you can tell within a 1/10th of a foot the thickness of an angled wall.....from a dormer window....amazing.

 

[Kevin A. Spellman]

I go through 3-4 Fat Max 35 foot measuring tapes a year. I’m an apex user and I must measure. I measure the exterior first and then the interior. I always get the comment the last appraiser did not measure.