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Q&A: How to find an “Independent Auto Appraiser” with Stolen car claim?

Question by Jdizzle: How to find an “Independent Auto Appraiser” with Stolen car claim?
Greetings everyone.

I had a 2003 Lincoln LS “ultimate” stolen about 3 weeks ago. My insurance claim period was only 15 days and they gave me an offer of private party KBB. First of all, is that average?

I was told from other people that their insurance companies give them full retail value on total loss claims such as stolen or totalled. They said if I didn’t like their price, (2K below full retail) they would hire an independent appraiser and I would have to hire an independent appraiser and then it would be averaged between the two. Cost is $ 150-300 which I would have to pay. How do you find an appraiser without having the actual car? Is this hassle worth the 1500-2000 I can get back?

Best answer:

Answer by fightingsaints
First off, I’m surprised that the company used KBB instead of CCC or ADP. Those are two computerized evaluation systems based on actual selling prices of vehicles from dealerships around the country. I don’t believe you can have access to the CCC or ADP databases, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask. Sorry but I don’t have their contact info with me right now.

If you can’t get access to CCC or ADP I would ask your insurance company to have the report run. If need be, offer to split the cost. Your half should be less than $ 50.

I would recommend that before going through the appraisal process. I have handled claims that have gone through this process and it is not fun for the vehicle owner.

If you still need to find an appraiser I would suggest trying to locate an independent adjusting company in your area that has an auto expert on staff. You can look for one on these websites.

http://www.claims-portal.com/cdps/

http://www.claimsjournal.com/yellowpages/

http://www.cagworld.com/

http://www.claimspages.com/

Make sure to find out if the appraiser is licensed.

They owe you Actual Cash Value (ACV) which is the same as the retail selling price, not asking price.

Good Luck.

What do you think? Answer below!

Choosing Your Malibu, CA Real Estate Appraiser

If you have been thinking about purchasing a Malibu, CA real estate property for personal use or as an investment, you will need to hire the services of a real estate investor.

If you plan to finance your Malibu, CA real estate property through a bank or other lender, you’ll more than likely need to get the property appraised first. Banks and most lenders want to know the value of the home for your protection, as well as make sure that the home they are financing is worth the total amount that you take on the loan.

In most cases, the appraisal indicates that the home does indeed meet or exceed the asking price. In some cases however, the appraisal will come back saying that the home is worth less than the selling price. If this is the case, the buyer normally has to either drop the deal or try to negotiate with the seller to get a price that meets the appraisal.

For those very reasons, a real estate appraiser is very important. When you are dealing with a home, one appraisal can make a deal or break it. Even though you may not be financing your purchase through a lender or the bank, you should still make an effort to get the home appraised and find out the true value.

You should also make a point to find the best appraiser that you can afford. If you hire an appraiser who is not that experienced, you will pay for it later when you discover that the property is not worth what you paid for it.

A real estate appraiser will go through the Malibu, CA real estate property, performing a visual evaluation, and will then provide you with a written evaluation after he has gathered all necessary information.

Appraisers will also taken into consideration the replacement costs as well. Also, they will have to very land descriptions as well. There is a lot of work involved with appraisals, which is why it is so very important that each step of the process is performed correctly by a qualified real estate appraiser.

If you have a real estate agent, he or she will more than likely be able to make a recommendation. Keep in mind that this does not mean the recommendation is the best; it is just someone who your agent works with. To ensure that you get the right appraisal on your home you will need to find yourself an appraiser who is capable of completing the job.

When you look for your real estate appraiser, you should look for someone who comes highly recommended. You can ask family and friends for their opinions, or search local papers, even the Internet. If you take your time and search for the best real estate appraiser that you can find, you’ll normally get an appraisal that is right on target.

Visit our site for information about , Malibu real estate and more information about the Malibu area in general.

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A Career As A Real Estate Appraiser

A career as a real estate appraiser is something that you may want to consider.Still this may sound a bit far fetched and risky, as a matter of fact it could be the perfect career for you.

You should at least look into what it takes to be a real estate appraiser when you have any type of interest in this. When you can imagine, this is one career that is always in demand, and when you are good at what you do there is a chance that you will make a very nice living.

Then what is a career as a real estate appraiser all about? What do you have to do day in and day out? Just like any job, not every real estate appraiser is the same. You will actually require to look into what the industry has to offer, and thus decide from there when you should get involved. The important task that a real estate appraiser undertakes is visiting houses, and then appraising the asset.Several people need this done as they are moving, buying a house, or simply require an assessment for any other reason such as divorce or buying insurance.

Remember, as a professional you will be offering a service that people will require. The bottom line is that when somebody requires a real estate appraisal you will be the person that they call.

You will get paid based on the number of real estate appraisals that you complete. In other words, you can set your rates and charge a flat rate for each house that you appraise. This makes things easy on you, and allows you to get a good thought as to how much money you can make.

Ultimately, several real estate appraisers love their job as they are not cooped up in an office all day. Rather, they can go from house to house on their own. And anyhow, when they get to where they are going they can communicate with clients, etc.
A career as a real estate appraiser may be only what you have been searching for. You may get your appraiser license, and never look back!

A career as an appraiser for the California Real EState Market could be a great career change.

If you are considering purchasing or selling a home, condo or any other type of real estate, you will most likely need the services of a real estate appraiser. An appraiser performs an assessment of properties and other types of real estate to help establish its value. While there are several methods appraisers use to establish the value of real estate (e.g. cost method, income method, and comparison method), for residential properties, the comparison method (also known as market value) is the most common approach. The appraiser’s job is to provide an opinion about the value of a property based on its “highest and best use.” If you are financing the purchase of a property, your lender will normally require an appraisal to make sure that the property is really worth the amount loaned.

The real estate appraiser is tasked with carrying out a completely objective assessment of a property and will normally provide a written evaluation report. This is accomplished by a physical inspection of the property, as well as a comparison to other similar properties for which the value is already established. To make a determination about value, the appraiser gathers details such as the size of a property, size of the lot, location, condition, best use of the property, amenities, etc.

After this initial inspection, the appraiser may scout the neighborhood to compare the property with other similar properties in the neighborhood by age, size, price range, etc. The appraiser then gathers additional data from several sources such as the local Multiple Listing Services (MLS), which provides information on current and recent comparable sales. The appraiser also gathers information from his/her own past experience in the local market. All of these sources of information are taken into consideration while writing the appraisal report, which will provide an estimate about the value of a property.

There are many reasons to use the services of a qualified appraiser. When purchasing real estate, an appraisal provides you with a negotiating tool and helps ensure that the price you are paying is appropriate. If you are selling your property, the appraisal will help you determine an appropriate price range. Besides real estate and mortgage transactions, you may need to order an appraisal to lower the tax burden (assuming the value is really lower than the value established by taxing authorities), to establish the replacement cost of insurance, to settle an estate, etc. An appraiser only gives an estimate of the value of the property. A real estate appraiser is not to be confused with a home inspector.

If you are considering buying or selling a home, condo or any other type of real estate, you can use the services of a qualified real estate appraiser who will provide an estimate of the fair market value of your property.

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Everyone involved in the sale of real estate has a vested interest in the results of a real estate appraisal. The outcome affects the seller, the buyer, the lender, and even the realtor.

A too low valuation of the property by the appraiser could mean a seller must lower the asking price. For a lending officer, it could mean a lesser commission or none at all. A too high valuation means the buyer could be paying more than the property is worth. For the realtor, his/her commission could go higher or lower, which is based on the purchase/sell price of the real estate.

An appraiser, who should be licensed by the state, performs the real estate appraisal. It is best to hire someone local with years of full-time experience in order to get a more accurate appraisal. The appraiser and appraisal are governed by the minimum standards, published periodically in the Uniform Standard of Professional Appraisal Practice by the Appraisal Foundation. The Foundation is chartered by Congress.

The recent real estate bubble, unfortunately, brought problems for appraisers and many involved in real estate transactions. According to Realty Times in their April 2006 issue, appraisers have been routinely asked by lenders to inflate real estate values to keep up with the ever-rising real estate market. One real estate appraiser in San Diego quit and turned in his license to the state, after being fired three consecutive times for refusing to inflate his valuations. Now, real estate appraisers across the United States are under a microscope from federal financial regulators and Congress.

The real estate appraiser may be hired by the seller to determine an accurate selling price or by the buyer to ensure the accuracy of the purchase price and mortgage; but generally, the lender does the hiring or uses their own in-house appraiser. Though buyers may assume the lender has their best interest, mortgage lenders have their own best interest at the forefront, especially some not-so-scrupulous lending officers who may be targeting a higher commission.

If I were a seller, I would hire my own real estate appraiser to ensure I was getting the most for my property. As a buyer, I would put the money out upfront to hire an independent and objective appraiser with no connection to anyone within the real estate transaction. This ensures that I do not contract for a mortgage, based on an inflated appraisal valuation, that will give me a new home with a lower or negative equity. The lender still may require a different appraiser.

If five different real estate appraisers evaluated the same property within the same timeframe and under the same conditions, it could result in five different and varying real estate valuations. Why? There is no set checklist or established value for each property feature and amenity. Though appraisals are based on prescribed standards, it is a subjective process.

If there is more than one real estate appraisal and they disagree significantly, you have options. If the value is too low for the seller, renovations may raise the value or you can decline to sell. If the lender insists on its appraiser’s value, which disagrees with your real estate appraiser’s value, as the buyer you can look for financing elsewhere or decline to purchase the real estate. There also is the option to bring the appraisers together to come to a common agreement on the value.

Remember, the person looking out for your best interest is yourself. Ensure the appraiser in your real estate transaction is reputable, objective with no connections to anyone in the transaction, local and experienced.

John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations. For more information please visit Encinitas Homes for Sale

If you are a go-getter who is not afraid of challenges and new opportunities, this just might be the welcome makeover your career needs. Read on, and find out how to become a real estate appraiser.

1. Satisfy Educational Requirements

First things first – you will need to fulfill your state’s home appraisal licensing requirements. One convenient way to meet these educational standards is to take an online course. Many online real estate appraisal licensing courses allow you to complete your studies on your own schedule and at a pace that fits your own learning style.

2. Prepare for Your Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Exam

Check with your state licensing board and ask for a list of requirements, as well as a breakdown of the exam coverage. This will help you in your real estate exam prep and will serve as a helpful guide when you feel that you are swarmed with too much studying.

3. Consider becoming a trainee

Some states require that you first obtain a trainee’s license and pass the correlative tests before you will be admitted to the profession. In order to become a trainee, you must be able to obtain a certain number of hours of study in specific predetermined fields. You may do this formally, meaning, in a school system, or you may opt for distance learning-which you may do by enrolling in an accredited learning institutions which operate online. Always double check that such online institution is accredited, otherwise you just might be wasting your time, money and effort.

Do not be content with just being a trainee, follow through and seek that real estate appraiser license. Some people do not like leaving their comfort zones, but really, you have to focus on your goal, and most importantly, you must always work hard to actually reach it.

4. Complete all Paperwork

After you have satisfied all of your educational requirements and have successfully passed your state licensing exam, make sure all your papers are in order. This makes it easier for the licensing board to expedite the release of your license. It also develops in you the value of being organized, which is one of the key characteristics shared by those are successful in their real estate appraiser careers. Always fill out forms completely, especially since these will be used as bases for background checks and the like. The more thorough you are in this aspect, the faster you will get your license!

5. Expand Your Network

A real estate career is a business that revolves around people. So the more contacts you establish as a real estate appraiser, the better your chances are that you would score that much coveted sale. Also, word of mouth travels fast, and if you are good, it would definitely not take long before referrals start coming in. Value your friendships and always make more! You never know who just might be in need of your services.

6. Continue to learn

There are many avenues for learning in the real estate field. In fact, there are numerous appraiser continuing education courses that are designed for your needs. You must be humble enough to accept that you need to learn more so that you can grow more. Further, some states may even require this as a requisite for you to renew your license! Lastly, there never is any harm in improving yourself. Not only does it improve your career, it also does wonder for your own personal development. Plus, you get to meet lots of people who share the things you are passionate about!

Learn more about real estate programs and real estate appraiser course with online schools.

Like other professionals you need during your life doctors, bankers, etc., when you have come to point of wanting to buy, sell or refinance a home, you will need a real estate appraiser. Why? Because without one you can’t do any of the above transactions. When you need to find out the value of your home, you will definitely need a real estate appraiser.Here are some other reasons why you will need an appraiser.

What Exactly Does an Appraiser Do?

The job of an Iowa real estate appraiser is finding out the true value of your home. They do this by coming to your home, measuring the square footage, examining the structure for renovations and then researching the similar home values in your neighborhood. After this appraisal visit, which only should take a few minutes, they gather up a report with the details of the value of your home and property.

Appraisers and Iowa Sellers

Using an Iowa real estate appraiser when you are considering a home sale will give you a true idea of how much your home can go for. The value of the appraisal will help you decide on a price for your home or move you in the direction of making more improvements to your home to increase the value. A home appraisal will give you a base of knowledge and help you decide during the pre-selling process what exactly you want to do. If you discover that your home has a high value, you may not sell in order to wait and sell for a higher price as the value goes up even more laser.And your home’s value is low, you may wait on selling until the market improves.

Importance of an Appraisal for an Iowa Buyer

If you are getting ready to buy a home or a winter home, you will want an Iowa real estate appraiser to come in to find out the value of the property. This makes sure you are making a good deal and you’re spending a reasonable amount of money. You don’t want to be taken by the seller. This is why lenders require a home appraisal to protect all of the parties in the transactions, including the buyer and the bank.

Importance of an Appraisal for an Iowa Refinance

If you are investigating whether you want to change the terms of your mortgage, you will want to have the value assessed to make sure you are making the right move. If the value is lower, you might be able to get a better deal on the interest rate. If it’s higher you may be better off staying with the mortgage you have.

Armed with an appraisal, you can find out the true value of your home and how it will work with your financial future, no matter what you choose to do.

This article is provided by LocateAppraisers.com (http://www.locateappraisers.com), an appraisal directory site that connects lenders and appraisers. Whether you’re looking for a New Mexico real estate appraiser, a Florida real estate appraiser, or a Washington real estate appraiser, the great tools at LocateAppraisers.com include everything you’ll need to find the best appraisal professional in your area.

The Attributes of A Great Real Estate Appraiser

If you want to find out the value of your existing home or are looking at buying a new home, getting with a good real estate appraiser is so important to answering the questions your need in order to meet your goals. There are many real estate appraisers out there doing business, but you need to make sure that the person you hire has all of the best attributes, is professional and knowledgeable. This will make sure their assessments of your home value are the best for you. Here are some questions to ask them to assure this.

First: How Much Appraising Do They Do?

An easy tip for finding out if an appraiser is right for you is to ask them how much appraising they do. If they are just a part-time appraiser, then they may not be the best choice for you. A part-time appraiser may not have the time or the experience to devote their attention to you and your needs. Someone who is a full-time appraiser will have a better and more realistic view of the market in your area, which helps you get a fair assessment of your home based on what the appraiser has learned and other property they have appraised.

Second: Do They Act Professional?

There may be a lot of good appraisers who are casual in their work. But given that the appraisal is such an important step in your financial goals, you need to make sure that you hire an appraiser who is a professional. The person you work with should be prompt to appointments, prepared for their work and be in contact with you during the process all the way to the appraisal day. With such an important part of your plan touched by this, you should expect nothing less than the best and most professional appraiser.

Third: Is The Appraiser Asking Questions?

The best kind of appraiser you can get is not one who just comes to the property and fills out a form. You want the best appraisal for your home and that will come from someone who asks about your home or property, who walks around to check things out and does the work with their hands. An experienced appraiser will also use their intuition rather than just using the form to guide them through the process. They will interact with you, getting you the whole story of the value of your home.

Finally: Are They Objective?

If you want to get the true value of your home, you need to find a fair, objective and unbiased appraiser. To find someone like this, you need to be assured that they aren’t affiliated with the bank, the previous owners, the sellers or the property in any way. This makes sure you have the best value at the appraisal.

Finding out the value of the home and a property is something that takes the investment of time and a professional appraiser. Find out the answers to these questions from your appraiser and you will get the best fit for your needs and your future plans.

Check out the real estate market and you will quickly realize you need some help in the decision to sell your home, whether you want to do it now or sometime in the future. Either way, you need to consider what a New Jersey real estate appraiser can do. New Jersey is a unique market, of course, so you will need all the help you can get in order to make the first right step in the real estate process.

An Appraiser’s Work

Appraisers most often come into the real estate transaction picture when they are hired by the lending company to come out to the home and come up with a value before there is a decision on the mortgage agreement. This is so everyone involved is aware of whether or not a good deal is about to go down. The assessment allows the bank to know if the loan they are taking out is a good investment. Also, if you disagree with an assessment or want a second opinion, you are allowed to get your own New Jersey real estate appraiser to come in and see what the value is before you decide to sell.

What an Appraiser Will Do — or You

Here’s how the actual appraisal process will work. The New Jersey real estate appraiser will come to your home and take measurements from the outside. This will give them an accurate reading of the square footage. The appraiser will not factor into the value of the home anything that is on the inside. The appraiser will come in the house to assess any renovations you may have made to the space. If those renovations aren’t obvious to see, you need to be sure to point them out to the appraiser while they are doing their appraisal.

The New Jersey real estate appraiser will take notes and fill out a standard from while in your home. After the appraiser is finished with their appraisal, they will move on to your neighborhood, checking out other homes, what they have sold for recently and how many homes have been sold within the past year. After the appraiser is finished, they will put together a researched report that they will show you so you can learn the value of your home on the current market.

What an Appraiser Can Do For A Seller

The real current market value of your home gives you many options to choose from. You can list your home for that price (or higher) and hope that buyers will take it at that. Or you could hold onto your home if it has a high value and try to cash in later. And if it turns out your home has a low value you may have to do some renovations to pump up the value to the buyers.

I know many people use the service of a real estate appraiser when they plan to purchase a real estate property either for own residential purpose or as an investment. Mostly the first step in getting a property deal is the appraisal of the property, especially if you are looking for a bank loan or finance from a lender. As all of us know, no bank or lender will give loan to a commodity, which has fewer appraisals than the amount you avail.

Now, do you agree with me that the service of a real estate appraisal is an inevitable part of the deal?

It is true that when the appraisal does his job, he will be estimating a value for the property based on many factors. In majority of the cases, appraiser will come out with a figure, which is equal or more than the asking price. In this case the lender will be happy to lend you the amount you require.

But there are cases in which the appraised value is less than the asking price, and as we expect, banks or lenders would not extend loan facility. This is a precarious situation by which either you have to drop the deal or renegotiate with the seller to fix price less than the appraisal.

Now you will not be having any doubt on the role of an appraiser. He can make a deal or break a deal. His service is important. Some time you might not be considering about going for mortgage loans. You will be buying the home with your personal savings.

Yes my friend, even in this case if I am there in your place, I will go for the service of an appraiser. I do not want to spend my hard earned money for a property with low expected price. Why should you?

Only thing I will make sure is that the appraiser I select is the best. If you choose an appraiser who is not experienced in the field, he will provide you with wrong estimated value and you will be duped in getting a low valued property for a higher price.

It is highly necessary to have the service of the qualified appraiser. He must go through each and every aspect of the home and also consider the expenses that can incur for replacements and renovations. He has to do the appraisal correctly and perfectly and should able to give written details on the appraisals after collection all information, significant as well as insignificant. Each dollar is very important my dear, do not loose it.

While searching for a right appraiser, you have to search for the best one whom you can trust and afford. Mostly your real estate agent can give you a recommendation. The name he suggests may be an appraiser working for him. You need not necessarily go with him; you can have your own assessment. But you should get the best.

Another way of getting experienced and reputed appraiser is through your friends, family members and other people who have some familiarity in the field. Internet and Newspapers are other options to come in contact with appraisers. You should consider the appraiser recommended by most people. You have to spend some time and efforts to get a right real estate appraiser for you.

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