If you’re thinking about selling a house fast in McAllen, Texas, you may have some challenges. For one, this is a strong buyer’s market. So, you may have buyers who aren’t as motivated to buy your house if it doesn’t have unique characteristics, is priced reasonably, or isn’t located in a desirable area. Another challenge may be that interested buyers could face delays with appraisal timelines. What is an appraisal, how long does it take, and what outcomes can buyers and sellers expect with appraisals? Keep reading to learn more.
What is An Appraisal?
When a buyer wants to buy your home, they may request an appraisal to ensure it is in good condition and worth the money you are selling it for. The buyer will pay a licensed appraiser to perform a valuation on the home, which they will compile in a standard appraisal report. They gather information on the value of your home by observing its condition, gathering comparables on other houses that recently sold in the area, and retrieving tax records. Upon reviewing all these resources, they then use their best judgment to appraise how much your house is worth.
In most cases, your home will appraise at or above what the asking price is on your home. However, there are a few instances when the appraisal value will be much lower than the asking price. When this happens, here are a few things that may occur.
- A buyer may walk away from the deal.
- A buyer may accept the loan from the lender and pay the rest with their own money.
- You may have to fix the repairs the appraiser finds, which could improve appraisal value.
- A buyer may challenge the decision and request another appraisal.
- A buyer may choose another lender entirely who will perform another appraisal.
An appraisal is a tool for the lender to determine how much they will lend on the home. Typically, appraisals are valid and unbiased. However, there are times when bias may occur.
How Long Does an Appraisal Take?
So how long does an appraisal take? Generally, an appraisal can take a few days but could take up to a month, depending on market conditions. For instance, when mortgage rates are lower, plenty of homeowners may want to refinance, which could have appraisers busy. This could slow down turnaround times on appraisals significantly. Additionally, if you have a unique property, such as a luxury home, this could take time since the appraiser will need experience appraising such properties.
How to Improve Appraisal Evaluation
If you want to ensure that your home goes through the closing process as smoothly as possible, it is a good idea to take a proactive approach. This involves doing what you can to increase your home value before a mortgage evaluation. Some of the critical items in your home you should try to address before an appraisal include the following:
- HVAC problems
- Roof issues
- Issues related to plumbing
- Problems with the foundation
- Presence of termites
- Damaged paint
- Dangerous stairwells
Seeing your home through the eyes of an appraiser and fixing the problems proactively can help ensure the appraisal process goes smoothly. It could also help you and the buyer to get to the closing table much faster.
