PMI Removal
Private Mortgage Insurance or PMI is the supplemental insurance that many lenders have to purchase when the amount being loaned is more than 80% of the value of the home (LTV loan to value). This additional payment is often folded into the monthly mortgage payment and is quickly forgotten. After a rise in values and/or payment to principal goes below this 80% level, PMI is no longer required. United States Congress passed a law in 1998 (the Homeowners Protection Act of 1998) that requires lenders to remove the PMI payments when the loan-to-value ratio conditions have been met. An appraisal is required to determine the property's value. The costs of these services are recovered in just a few months of not paying the PMI.

Estate Planning
In times of loss, it is often difficult to think of the various steps that must be taken to resolve any outstanding monies of the deceased. An appraisal is required to establish fair market value of any real estate properties in the estate for tax filings and any presentation to multiple heirs. The aid of an appraisal is a necessity to dispose of the estate properly.

Divorce/ Settlement Disputes
In unfortunate circumstances, such as divorce, appraisals are required so that both parties involved receive a fair and impartial value in order to concentrate on more important aspects of this difficult time. An appraisal by a qualified, independent and professional third party is often required by state law to settle the divorce.

Property Tax Assessments
Challenging the tax assessment has become a necessity in many parts of the country. Unfortunately, most people go into these challenges unarmed. They may pull some information from the Internet to support their claims, but have no real basis for them. A real estate appraiser can provide accurate answers to questions of value. While it may not be economical to commission a full appraisal to save a few hundred dollars on your tax bill, often an appraiser can do a limited appraisal for much less, but with the same conclusions and integrity. An appraisal from a qualified appraiser is a step in the right direction in any dispute with your local tax assessor.

For-Sale-By-Owner (FSBO) / Pre-Listing Services
An appraisal performed by an experienced and licensed appraiser will give the credibility needed to justify the value of your home. Having an appraisal report, generated by a third party appraiser, will establish your objectivity during negotiations. It is important to remain objective while deciding the value of your home so you can establish a realistic asking price based on market value. Once you have a prospective buyer, you may use the information from the appraisal report as a tool to justify your asking price.

Appraisal Desk and Field Review Services
An experienced professional will "proof" your completed appraisal report for accuracy by using on-line industry resources as well as our extensive office database and files. When in need of a second opinion on value, comparable properties can be checked and exterior field inspections performed to determine best judgment on the appraisal certainty.