• Welcome to AppraisersForum.com, the premier online  community for the discussion of real estate appraisal. Register a free account to be able to post and unlock additional forums and features.

Zoning Question, How would you state it?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ray Miller

Elite Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2002
Professional Status
Licensed Appraiser
State
Wisconsin
Would you consider an apprainsal report deficent if the appraiser listed Zoning as Residential and not the complete zoing as R-2 Limited General Residential?

If so why?

If not why?

Doing a review. I would not fault the report. Am I wrong. Doubled check with the city and when as the zoning was told it was Residential, the lady did not go into detail with me either.
 
I guess if there is a glaring difference between Residential and R-2 General Residential there may be a point of contention. I think residential is residential, around here we have R-1 - Single Family, R-2 - Single Family and Duplex, R-4 - Single Family up to Four Family, then we have SF-1, SF-2 etc in the newer areas that were platted as a PUD.

You're splitting the hairs on a donkey's butt pretty closely if you want to make an issue of it.
 
Ray, I know that in our office we verify & use the specific zoning, such as R1 Single Family Residential, etc, etc. & we include the zoning ordinance lot size info..i.e minimum lot size 75X150, etc.. More often than not the lot is legal non-conforming which most lenders require a re-build letter from the city/township.

We have actually run into 2 cases where the lot size was legal non-conforming & the zoning ordinances prohibited re-building on the lot regardless is variances were applied for. (The little township is trying to get rid of the nusience of this particular housing development, so they require 3 acre minimums which NONE of those lots are.)
 
Fannie report Ray ? and....which City?
 
I use the practice of explain and define. an example would be:
"R-1-A" "SFR, MIn lot front 120 ft."

Or what ever that municipality defined that class as.

Then you have the conforming/non-conforming question already laid out. If it's non-conforming, I also recite the portion of the ordinance that allows or prohibits repair/reconstruction.
 
Does it affect the validity of the report, i.e., H&B Use, Site Value, utility of the site, ability to rebuild, etc.? If no, then on the 2000 report, check that it was not accurate, comment and go on. It's an error, but not a significant error. Now, we all know some state boards will go ballistic over nit-picking things like this. IMHO, it's the overall report, and whether the error is significant or not significant.
 
It depends Ray.
What does Residential mean?
What does R-2 Limited General Residential mean?

If by the town they mean the same I would not make a big fuss over it, but I would state the right title of zoning. Now if the Town has no definition or zoning title of “Residential” I would.

As in, the town labels the zoning as,
Residential = 1 family Residential zone
R-2 Limited General Residential = 1 family Residential zone

Or is it,

Residential = ?? no listing of that kind by zoning.
R-2 Limited General Residential = 1 family Residential zone (XX,000 SQ.FT min lot size)

Ether way, I would just state the correct title/ definition of the zoning. However, for this since you do have the correct title of the zone I would state it in your report. If it were wrong, I would state the right one.

With what you posted, I would state, “The report states the right definition of zoning as Residential, however the correct title of zoning is R-2 Limited General Residential”
 
Ray-The zoning coudl either be something like R-1 OR Residential. We have one community around here that the zoning for SFR is Residential. I guess they just keep it simple.
 
Since it seems that each municipality calls it's zoning districts by different names. And since districts with similar names have different requirements it's unrealistic to expect a report reader to know what a specific district name means. A general description like "single family residential" is appropriate.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Find a Real Estate Appraiser - Enter Zip Code

Copyright © 2000-, AppraisersForum.com, All Rights Reserved
AppraisersForum.com is proudly hosted by the folks at
AppraiserSites.com
Back
Top