Whether you are buying or selling a home in, you have to face the possibilities of receiving a disappointing home appraisal. Even those that engage the services of a Realtor to help them sell their home or research homes that are suitably-priced to purchase, may find themselves in this situation. When obtaining financing, you can only borrow a certain percent of the appraisal, so this is an important step in the home-buying or home-selling process.
For this reason, it’s important that sellers heed the advice of their real estate professional, when initially pricing their home for sale. Despite the best intentions, the ramifications of a disappointing home appraisal may force you to make difficult choices. Foreclosures and short sale transactions could be a reason your comparable sales were priced lower, dragging your home’s value with it. With a constantly changing marketplace, even the most knowledgeable Realtor can’t always predict your home’s exact appraised value.
The best way to avoid a disappointing home appraisal may be keeping your home in top condition and making needed upgrades. These are factors that could bring up the appraised value, with all other things being equal. A Realtor can help you determine whether they are enough to make a difference, when it comes to comparable sales, at the time your home is listed. There’s no guarantee you won’t be affected by these distressed properties that fall into the mix of property valuation, however.
You hate to think about losing a pre-qualified sale, but this is one of the ramifications of a disappointing home appraisal. Unless renegotiations take place, the contract is cancelled. It’s possible for the seller to bring their accepted price to appraisal or split the difference with the buyer. Otherwise, the extra cash would need to come from the buyer, who may not have the means to provide it and may not pay more than appraised value, for the home.
If the appraisal is less than the mortgage owed, it could turn into a short sale agreement, which takes a lot longer to negotiate and complete. A Realtor can help you make the best decision, whether you’re a seller or a buyer, in this situation. Other solutions that may be considered could include re-applying with a different mortgage lender that uses a different appraisal company or an in-house appraisal.
The buyer and seller may decide to split the difference or the seller may agree to carry a note for the difference that’s agreed on. It can depend on how much a buyer loves a particular home, but a seller may need to face the fact that a price reduction or short sale may be required, regardless. Since a buyer can walk away from a contract that’s not negotiated, when a home doesn’t “appraise out”, sellers have to realize that the next buyer may have the exact same problems with their mortgage transaction.
When buying or selling a home in Florida, sellers should consider the benefits a Realtor can provide. In a highly volatile housing market, it helps to have a professional real estate expert, on your side. Lower appraised values have become a common occurrence in today’s real estate marketplace, but a Realtor will help you negotiate these uncertain conditions. The final results will be much more successful than trying to sell your own home and buyers will save time and money, with their services.
About the author: Lance Mohr is an authority on the Tampa real estate market with more than 18 years of experience as a Realtor and mortgage banker. If you have any questions or are looking for a professional Realtor give me a call. For more information on Odessa homes for sale or Northdale homes for sale go to at www.Tampa2Enjoy.com.