Real Estate - Can we talk short-sales?

[jmsremax]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

I have to strongly disagree with you here. An agent IS NOT, and cannot take the place of an appraiser. A CMA IS NOT, and never will be an appraisal.

Unless an agent is expert on home construction, repair costs, market acceptances of depreciation and obsolescence, a student of governmental regulations and laws and their effects on value, an expert in determining highest and best use analysis, plus versed in considering dozens of other factors and their value effects, he/she cannot start to rise to the level of an appraiser.

A qualified appraiser takes all the things you speak of in consideration. All the other professions you have names take only one or two of the factors in consideration. That's why they are what they are, NOT appraisers. How do I know??? Because I am an appraiser, and have been one for over 30 years. Agents/brokers owe their legal allegiance to their principle, and can act only for the benefit of that principle, and are thus, by definition, cannot be un-bias. Not a slap at agents, it's just legally how it works.

While there are a lot of agents out there that are very good at what they do, unless they are qualified and certified as appraisers, they cannot give you an appraisal, and they are even less qualified to determine Market Value than a home inspector is. Sorry. Why is it called a CMA??? Because legally, it cannot be called an appraisal because it does not meet the requirements of an appraisal.

And, NO, it isn't hard to "pinpoint" market value. That is, if you are an appraiser worth your billing.

First off when did I ever say not to use a home inspector and I never said a CMA was an appraisal. Second, home buyers should use all the tools out there to assist them with purchasing a home.

I would take a home inspector over an appraiser any day in my experiences with both. My reasoning, all the appraiser I've dealt with worked for the town or bank. I have yet to see an appraiser give an estimate that a buyer thought was reasonable and this goes back to 2006 when the market was still going up. Also, appraisals are done annually for town and cities and the price they derive will also determine your property taxes (may not be annual in other states, but in MA it is). We had clients going to town hall meetings to fight over home appraisals because their estimates were still going up even when things were headed south. I do not trust them at all. Again, this is merely in my experiences.

At least with a CMA you are able to see what people were willing to spend on a home and what % discount or premium they paid over listing price. To me, this is a good way to derive a market value....what people actually paid since buyers and sellers are the market not an appraiser. Please note, CMAs are merely a starting point and from there you get a home inspection and then deal with the appraisers to help figure out a price that seems reasonable. My process for my clients was a CMA, home inspection, and you are pretty much forced to get an appraisal from your lender anyways. However, none of my clients paid more than 90% of the value the appraiser came up with on a property they were interested in.

Sorry Brad for jacking your thread.