Home Appraisals: A Primer

One's home purchase is the biggest transaction many will ever consider. It doesn't matter if it's a primary residence, a second vacation home or an investment, the purchase of real property is a complex transaction that requires multiple people working in concert to see it through.


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It's likely you are familiar with the parties having a role in the transaction. The most known entity in the transaction is the real estate agent. Next, the mortgage company provides the money required to fund the deal. The title company makes sure that all details of the sale are completed and that the title is clear to transfer to the buyer from the seller.

So who's responsible for making sure the real estate is consistent with the amount being paid? In comes the appraiser. We provide an unbiased estimate of what a buyer could expect to pay - or a seller receive - for a parcel of real estate, where both buyer and seller are informed parties. A professional Texas licensed appraiser from Gary R Hall Appraisal will ensure you as an interested party are informed.

Appraisals begin with the property inspection

Our first duty at Gary R Hall Appraisal is to inspect the property to ascertain its true status. We must see aspects of the property hands on, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the location, living areas, etc., to ensure they indeed exist and are in the condition a reasonable buyer would expect them to be. The inspection often includes a sketch of the floor plan, ensuring the square footage is correct and illustrating the layout of the property. Most importantly, the appraiser looks for any obvious amenities - or defects - that would affect the value of the property.

Once the site has been inspected, an appraiser employs two or three approaches when determining the value of the property: sales comparison and, in the case of a rental property, an income approach.

Replacement Cost

This is where we pull information on local building costs, labor rates and other elements to derive how much it would cost to construct a property nearly identical to the one being appraised. This value commonly sets the upper limit on what a property would sell for. The cost approach is also the least used method.

Sales Comparison

Appraisers get to know the subdivisions in which they work. We thoroughly understand the value of specific features to the homeowners of that area. Then, the appraiser researches recent transactions in the vicinity and finds properties which are 'comparable' to the subject being appraised. By assigning a dollar value to certain items such as upgraded appliances, extra bathrooms, an additional living area, quality of construction, lot size, we add or subtract from each comparable's sales price so that they are more accurately in line with the features of subject.

For example, if the comparable has an extra half bath that the subject does not, the appraiser may subtract the value of that half bath from the sales price of the comparable.
If the subject property has an extra half-bathroom and the comparable does not, the appraiser might add a certain amount to the comparable property.

When it comes to putting a value on features of homes in Dallas and Dallas, Gary R Hall Appraisal can't be beat. This approach to value is typically given the most consideration when an appraisal is for a real estate exchange.

Valuation Using the Income Approach

A third way of valuing real estate is sometimes applied when a neighborhood has a reasonable number of rental properties. In this case, the amount of revenue the real estate generates is taken into consideration along with other rents in the area for comparable properties to determine the current value.

Arriving at a Value Conclusion

Examining the data from all approaches, the appraiser is then ready to stipulate an estimated market value for the property at hand. Note: While the appraised value is probably the most accurate indication of what a house would sell for in an open market, it may not be the price at which the property closes. There are always mitigating factors such as seller motivation, urgency or 'bidding wars' that may adjust the final price up or down. But the appraised value is often employed as a guideline for lenders who don't want to loan a buyer more money than they could get back in the event they had to sell the property again. It all comes down to this: An appraiser from Gary R Hall Appraisal will help you discover the most accurate property value, so you can make wise real estate decisions.