Frequently Asked Questions

How long will this process take?

The actual amount of time an appraiser will spend at your residence is usually 30 minutes, give or take depending on the complexity of the home. The total turnaround time from booking an appraisal to the day it is delivered to the client is typically about one week.

Will the appraiser be taking photos at my house?

The appraiser will be taking many photos of your house, inside and outside. These are for many reasons, some of which include: the client (bank or mortgage company) requires it, it helps us later in our office, and it provides evidence that a full complete inspection of each room, basement, etc took place. The appraiser will take photos of every room, including bathrooms, the basement from many angles (finished and unfinished), garage, porches, decks, patios, etc. The appraiser will also take photos of mechanical systems, such as the furnace, water heater, AC, sump pump, electrical panel, etc. 

Who will see these photos of my house? Are they online?

The photos are confidential. They remain in the appraiser's digital storage for five years (as required by law), and they are included in the appraisal report. The appraisal report is provided only to the client (bank or mortgage company if for purchase or refi), or the actual person who contacted and hired the appraiser.

I am the homeowner, so why won't the appraiser give me the appraisal directly?

The appraiser is required to comply with confidentiality laws. The appraiser may not give the results (the appraisal report), to anyone other than the client. If the appraisal was done for the purpose of a mortgage (purchase or refinance or HELOC), then the bank or mortgage company is the client, not the homeowner. Think about it for a minute: Whose money is at stake here? The bank's money. The bank wants to know how much collateral is available in this large asset (your house). The bank hires the appraiser to determine the value of this asset. The homeowner will receive a copy of the appraisal from the bank, as the homeowner is the bank's client. If instead, you hire Barton Appraisal directly for a purpose other than a mortgage (divorce, tax appeal, inheritance, etc), then you are indeed the client and the appraiser will give the appraisal to you, and no one else.

Will the appraiser give the information about our house to the county?

We get asked this a lot. The appraiser is bound by confidentiality laws. This prohibits us from disclosing the information about your house to anyone other than the client. The county did not hire us to do the appraisal, therefore, we will not provide any information to the county about your non-permitted basement finish. ;)  Some counties do have MLS access, and if you just purchased your home and it was for sale in the MLS, the county will be able to see those photos and information from the realtors that were in the MLS. 

Does basement finish count as "Square Footage" or "Gross Living Area"?

All appraisers nationwide (at least for mortgage transactions) are required to measure and report square footage consistently. Square footage can be thought of as apples and oranges. ABOVE GRADE finished square footage can be thought of as apples, and BELOW GRADE square footage are oranges. Both have value, and both contribute, but the above grade area has more value than below grade finish. They are reported separately in the appraisal. 

Lights - The appraiser will be taking photos of every room in your house. These photos are for our internal use, to provide support for the condition and features, and to present a more complete report for the client. The photos are not available out in the world at large. They are kept private to the appraiser and are included in the appraisal report.

Please turn on lights in every room in the house, basement, and garage before the appraiser arrives. This speeds things up for the inspection as the appraiser is not spending time looking for light switches. The appraiser also has his hands full with a clipboard, pen, digital measuring device, digital camera, etc. Not having to find and flips switches sure is helpful. 

Pets - The appraiser has a lot to focus on and pay attention to. Putting your "security detail" outside for a few minutes while the appraiser is inside is very helpful. If you have an agressive four legged friend that is full of bark, please consider how to best separate the pup from the appraiser for the short time the appraiser is in the house.