Appraisal FAQ

A standard full appraisal costs between $500 and $700 for a typical single-family residence in Los Angeles County, depending on property size, complexity, and turnaround speed. Larger properties, multi-unit buildings, luxury homes, and rush turnarounds may cost more. Get instant pricing through our 60-second order form. First time customers save $50 with code 50WEB25 at checkout. 

Yes. Every appraisal we deliver complies with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP)— the federal standard required for lending, court, and tax purposes. Glenn W. is a California Certified Residential Real Estate Appraiser (License#AR034922) and an Accredited Senior Appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers (ASA). Our reports stand up under scrutiny.

Yes. Our appraisals are routinely accepted by California family law courts, probate courts, and federal tax courts. Glenn is also available to serve as an expert witness when testimony is required. Court-ready appraisals follow stricter documentation standards than mortgage appraisals. We structure all of our reports to meet that bar by default.

An appraisal determines the market value of a property. A home inspection assesses the property's physical condition — checking the roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and so on. Both are typically required for a property transaction. Appraisals are performed by licensed real estate appraisers; inspections are performed by certified home inspectors. They are not interchangeable.

Yes. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), garage conversions, and unpermitted additions are common in Los Angeles. We document permitted vs. unpermitted square footage transparently in our reports. Depending on the appraisal's purpose and the construction quality of the work, unpermitted square footage may or may not contribute to the final value. It is always clearly disclosed.

Yes. For estate, probate, IRS step-up basis, divorce, and litigation matters, we routinely produce retrospective appraisals — appraisals dated to a specific past date such as a date of death or date of separation. These require careful selection of comparable sales and an analysis of market conditions as they existed on that date.

Yes. A significant portion of our work comes from family-law attorneys, estate-planning attorneys, probate trustees, mortgage brokers, hard-money lenders, and CPAs. We're experienced with the documentation, format, and timing each professional relationship requires.

Order online through our website using the 60-second order form by pressing the red button "Get Instant Quote Now!". We confirm pricing immediately, schedule the inspection within 2–3 business days, and deliver the full report within 3–4 business days (or 1–2 days with rush services). Save $50 with code 50WEB25 at checkout.

Yes. We offer two rush options: a Standard Rush with a 48-hour turnaround and a Super Rush with a 24-hour turnaround. For full appraisals, turnaround time begins on the inspection date, while desktop appraisal turnaround begins once payment in full is received. Rush services are available for an additional fee and are commonly used for escrow deadlines, court hearings, time-sensitive estate matters, and expiring loan rate locks.

Home Point Appraisal serves all of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, as well as surrounding areas. As a Los Angeles based company, additional travel and time fees may apply for assignments located outside of Los Angeles County.

Just the property address, the purpose of the appraisal (IRS related, probate, divorce, estate, etc.), and your contact information. If applicable, share any relevant documents such as title report, prior appraisals, court orders, and/or IRS letters. For unique properties, photos and notes about recent improvements speed up the inspection.

We select closed sales of comparable properties that are similar in location, size, age, condition, quality, and overall features, preferably within the same neighborhood whenever possible. Comparable sales are typically selected from the previous 6 months when available. For luxury homes, custom properties, rural locations, or markets with limited comparable activity, the search may be expanded and detailed market-supported adjustments are applied to account for differences between the subject property and comparable sales.

For residential properties, the Sales Comparison Approach is primarily used — analyzing 3 to 6 closed sales of similar properties and applying adjustments for differences in size, condition, location, quality, upgrades, and features. For income-producing properties, the Income Approach may also be considered. For new construction properties, the Cost Approach may provide additional support. The final reconciled value is based on the approach or approaches considered most applicable and reliable for the specific property type and intended use of the appraisal.

Online value estimates rely on automated algorithms and broad public data sources. These estimates cannot fully account for property condition, recent renovations, neighborhood market trends, accessory dwelling units, unpermitted improvements, functional layout issues, quality of construction, or other factors that may require a physical inspection and professional analysis. A certified appraisal is a USPAP-compliant valuation performed by a licensed appraiser and is commonly required for lending, legal, estate, tax, and other high-value financial matters.

No, you do not need to be present during the appraisal, as long as the appraiser has access to the property. However, many homeowners choose to be home to provide information about upgrades, renovations, or unique features.

Appraised value is influenced by location, recent comparable sales, condition of the property, size, layout, upgrades, quality of improvements, and overall market conditions. Deferred maintenance, outdated features, and functional issues can decrease value.

Yes. The appraisal report is confidential and intended only for the client who ordered it and any authorized parties named in the engagement (such as an attorney, trustee, lender, or court). It is not a public document.

If you disagree with the appraisal, you can submit a reconsideration of value by providing additional comparable sales or relevant facts that may not have been reviewed. For lender appraisals, the request must go through your lender. For non-lender appraisals (estate, probate, divorce, tax), the request goes directly to us. We will reanalyze and respond, but our final opinion remains independent and based on the data.

For lender purposes, most appraisals are considered valid for 90 to 120 days. For estate, IRS, and tax purposes, retrospective appraisals are tied to a specific past date and don't “expire” in the same way — they reflect value as of that date. In rapidly changing markets, more recent appraisals better reflect current conditions.

Yes. Appraisals can be completed for a wide range of property types including single-family homes, condominiums, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes, and multi-unit residential properties.

No. Appraisers must remain independent and provide an unbiased opinion of value based on market data and professional standards. Lenders, realtors, attorneys, and clients cannot influence the final valuation. Clients can share factual property information (improvements, permits, prior appraisals, sales contracts) — this helps inform analysis but never the conclusion.

The typical party who pays for a home appraisal is the individual or entity who is obtaining the appraisal. In the case of a home purchase, this is typically the buyer. However, the payment for the appraisal may be shared between the buyer and the seller in some cases, or it may be paid entirely by the seller or the buyer, depending on the terms of the sale agreement.

In a mortgage refinance scenario, the borrower is usually responsible for paying for the appraisal. In some cases, the lender may require that the appraisal be conducted by one of their approved appraisers, and the cost of the appraisal may be included in the closing costs.

Regardless of who pays for the appraisal, it is important to understand that the appraisal is an impartial assessment of the property's value, and the appraiser's goal is to provide an unbiased estimate of the property's value based on the most recent market data and other relevant factors. The payment for the appraisal does not influence the appraiser's findings or the estimate of the property's value.

In a mortgage-related homeappraisal, appraisers typically do not disclose the estimated value of aproperty directly to the borrower even if the borrower was the one who paid for the appraisal. This is due to a few reasons:

1) Independence and impartiality
Appraisers are expected to maintain independence and impartiality in their appraisals, and disclosing the estimated value directly to the borrowers could be seen as compromising their objectivity.

2) Confidentiality
Appraisers are also bound by confidentiality agreements and are expected to maintain the confidentiality of their findings. Disclosing the estimated value directly to the borrowers could compromise the confidentiality of the appraisal.

3) Regulations
In most cases, regulations prohibit appraisers from disclosing the estimated value directly to the borrowers. In the United States, the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) sets standards for the appraisal profession and requires appraisers to maintain impartiality, objectivity, and confidentiality that prohibit appraisers from disclosing the value of the property to anyone other than the "client" or other authorized parties.

In a mortage-related appraisal, the lender is most often defined as the "client" and intended user of the report, therefore, the appraiser must only disclose details of the report to the Lender unless otherwise authorized. In most cases, the borrower is provided information about the appraisal or a copy of the appraisal report from the lender but never directly from the appraiser.

Market value is the estimated price a property would sell for in the open market. Assessed value is determined by a taxing authority for property tax purposes. Insured value reflects the cost to rebuild or replace the structure for insurance coverage.

There is no fixed requirement, but homeowners often order appraisals when refinancing, selling, settling estates, or tracking equity changes. In active markets, every 1–3 years can be helpful for financial planning.

Make sure all rooms (including attic, basement, garage, and ADU) are accessible. Have ready any documentation of recent improvements, permits, prior appraisals, or sales contracts. Cosmetic cleaning helps but isn't required — appraisers evaluate condition and quality, not staging. Make a list of any features that aren't visible from a walk-through, such as a new roof, HVAC system, or foundation work.

Appraisers typically use three main methods to determine a property’s value. The sales comparison approach compares the property to recently sold similar homes in the area. The cost approach estimates what it would cost to replace the property, minus depreciation. The income approach is usedfor rental or investment properties and calculates value based on expected income and market rates. Appraisers select the method or combination of methods that best reflects the property type and purpose of the appraisal.

Yes, in most states, appraisers must be licensed or certified to perform appraisals for federally related transactions. Licensing ensures the appraiser meets education, experience, and ethical standards and adheres to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice. Requirements vary by state and by the type of appraisal being performed.

No, appraisers are generally prohibited from sharing the results of an appraisal with anyone other than the client who ordered the appraisal, unless legally required. This confidentiality protects the integrity of the appraisal, ensures compliance with professional and ethical standards, and prevents misuse of the information by third parties.

In neighborhoods with limited recent activity — small custom-home pockets, rural areas, or luxury markets — we expand the comparable search area, extend the date range back further, and apply detailed market-supported adjustments to account for the differences. For one-of-a-kind properties, the Cost Approach may supplement the Sales Comparison Approach to support the value.