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Log homes.

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Kevin Mc

Elite Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2004
Professional Status
Certified Residential Appraiser
State
New York
I'm sure some of you have appraised them. I have a home where the front is the old traditional colonial, with a huge rare addition which is a log home. I have not inspected it yet but I foresee major problems. Any advice or insight would be appreciated. TIA
 
Well, my experience tells me that the lender is going to "require" a log home comp, although in my opinion it has to compete with other construction types in the area. When I haven't had a log comp, I try to use frame, or more rustic, colonial type homes, as opposed to a more contemporary style. If you have to come up with a log home, then you might have to look at older sales or go further than you would like to. At that point, I usually state in the report that the log sale is included at the request of the lender, but was not considered because (too far, too old, whatever).

It does sound like your subject may actually look like the other homes from the front, though....does it?
 
I'm sure some of you have appraised them. I have a home where the front is the old traditional colonial, with a huge rare addition which is a log home. I have not inspected it yet but I foresee major problems. Any advice or insight would be appreciated. TIA

Kevin....where is this puppy.....
 
Riverdale in da Bronx . Plenty of log homes there huh? sounds like a fun one huh?
 
Since the original, and main part of the house is conventional construction, I would not make a big deal of the addition being log construction. If the log construction does not visually impact the house from the street, so what? You do need to mention it in comments and state whether or not there is any impact on marketability or value. By the way......there is a difference between log construction and log siding. Log siding is basically a veneer over standard 2 x 4 framing.
 
In the mountains west of Denver, there is little difference in market reaction between log homes and standard construction -- crummy log cabins sell at bottom of the market prices, same as crummy standard construction homes; high quality or nicely remodeled log (or partial log) homes sell at the top of the market, same as standard construction homes in good condition.

Short answer -- condition and overall market appeal are more important than log construction.
 
Certified Residential Appraiser

Log homes can be a rough bunch in that they settle and the logs can dry, shift and warp. I would check doors, windows and water lines for damage and for free operation. In other words not all log construction is of good quality and can pose different and special problems compared frame construction of the same quality.
 
A log home in the Bronx....some stuff cannot be made up.
 
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