appraisals and home inspections

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This page is intended to provide clarification about appraisals and how they differ very significantly from home inspections. Appraiser's observations of a property are very generalized in nature, in ways similar to a buyer's basic walkthrough, and they require the appraiser to rely heavily on assumptions about property condition. An appraiser's observations are limited to what is readily observable without moving furniture, floor coverings or personal property. Unless otherwise stated, appraiser generally do not view attics, crawlspaces, or any other areas that would involve the use of ladders or special equipment. The appraiser's viewing of the property are limited to surface areas only and can often be compromised by landscaping, placement of personal property or even weather conditions. Most importantly, the appraiser's inspection of the property is far different from and much less intensive than the type of inspections performed to discover property defects. The appraiser is not a home inspector and appraisals should never be relied upon to disclose conditions and/or defects in the property. The appraiser is not a building contractor, environmental expert, pest control specialist, mold specialist, or structural engineer. An appraisal is not a substitute for a home inspection or an inspection by a qualified expert in determining issues such as, but not limited to: foundation settlement or stability, structural issues, environmental issues or hazards, moisture

problems, mold, wood destroying (or other) insects, rodents or pests, radon gas, or lead-based paint. Appraisers are not qualified to perform and do not perform testing of the systems of the home (HVAC, plumbing, electrical, gas, septic/sewer, etc.). Clients are invited and encouraged to employ the services of appropriate experts such as a local home inspector to address any area of concern, and to discuss the specifics of any known property conditions with the appraiser so they can be properly addressed to meet the appraisal need.