GUS Appraisals Inc. has answers to "Frequently Asked Questions"

GUS Appraisals Inc. is happy to talk to you about any concerns you might have about appraisals or real estate in Denver and Denver County. Don't hesitate to contact us today.

What is an appraisal?
What does an appraiser do?
What are the reasons a person would request services from GUS Appraisals Inc.?
What is the difference between an appraisal and a home inspection?
What is the difference between an appraisal and a comparative market analysis (CMA)?
What can I expect to see in my appraisal report?
Once the appraisal is done, how can I have certainty that the final number is veritable?
How difficult is it to become certified?
Who do appraisers work for?
Where does GUS Appraisals Inc. get the data used to estimate values in Denver County or other areas?
Why do I need a professional appraisal?
What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it?
Do you need anything from the homeowner in advance?
How does an appraiser define "Market Value"?
Who has rights to the appraisal report?
Are some home improvements more worthwhile than others?



What is an appraisal?   (List of questions)

An appraiser performs an estimation that leads to an opinion of value. There are three "common approaches to value" which helps the real estate appraiser arrive at this opinion or valuation. One of the methods is the Cost Approach - which is how much capital would be required to replace the improvements, minus physical deterioration and other factors, then adding the land value. Another of the methods is the Sales Comparison Approach - which deals with discovering a comparison to other similar nearby properties which have recently sold. Usually, the Sales Comparison Approach is the most definite indicator of market value of a home. The Income Approach is primarily used for determining the market value of income-producing properties based on what an investor would pay based on the amount of income a property would bring in.

What does an appraiser do?   (List of questions)

An appraiser provides a fair and credible determination of market value, to be used in making real estate transactions. Appraisers present their investigation in appraisal reports.


What are the reasons a person would request services from GUS Appraisals Inc.?   (List of questions)

There are many reasons to obtain an appraisal with the most common reason being real estate and mortgage transactions. Some other reasons for ordering an report include:
  • If you are applying for a loan.
  • To reduce your property taxes.
  • To demonstrate a homeowner's acquired equity and remove Primary Mortgage Insurance.
  • To fight high property taxes.
  • If you need to take care of an estate.
  • To provide you an edge when purchasing real estate.
  • To figure out an honest property value when putting your home on the market.
  • To defend your rights if your property is being taken by means of eminent domain in a condemnation case.
  • Because a government agency such as the IRS requires it.
  • It's possible you could have to deal with being in a lawsuit - an appraisal will help.
If you need more information about the appraisal process, please click here.


What is the difference between an appraisal and a home inspection?   (List of questions)

Home inspectors do not figure out an opinion of value and do not do appraisal reports. A third-party home inspector will evaluate the structure of the property, from the roof to the foundation. Usually, a home inspection report will discuss the amenities and the necessities of the property: air conditioning (weather permitting), electrical systems, the condition of the heating system, the plumbing; then the structural capacity of the home such as the attic, visible insulation, walls, floors, ceilings, windows, then the foundation, basement and other visible structures.

What is the difference between an appraisal and a comparative market analysis (CMA)?   (List of questions)

Frankly, it's apples and oranges. What the CMA relies upon are vague trends. Appraisals use comparable sales which are verifiable resources. Location and building values are also important in an appraisal. The CMA will provide a non-specific figure. Delivering a defensible and careful analysis, an appraisal will give a clear opinion of value.

But the biggest difference is the person creating the report. Real estate agents, who may not have a complete understanding of valuation methods or the entire market, write CMA's. The appraisal is produce by a licensed, certified professional who makes a living out of valuing properties. Likewise, the agent has something at stake since they get a commission based on the property's selling price - their commission - whereas the appraiser is bound by a code of ethics to accept a previously agreed upon fee for work they perform, regardless of their value conclusion.

What can I expect to see in my appraisal report?   (List of questions)

The main point of an appraisal report is to provide a value opinion, and depending on the scope of the report, one will customarily see the following:
  • Who engaged the appraiser and other intended users.
  • How the appraisal is supposed to be used.
  • The purpose of the appraisal.
  • The type of value reported and a definition of the value reported.
  • The effective date of the appraiser's opinions and conclusions.
  • Pertinent property characteristics, including: location, physical attributes, legal attributes, economic attributes, the real property interest in question, and non-real estate items included in the valuation, such as personal property, permanent equipment installations and even intangible factors.
  • All known easements, restrictions, encumbrances, leases, reservations, covenants, contracts, declarations, special assessments, ordinances, and other items of a similar nature.
  • Division of interest, such as fractional interest, physical segment and partial holding.
  • The scope of work considered while working up the assignment.
For a more in depth view of what goes into an appraisal report click here: Sample Appraisal Report

Once the appraisal is done, how can I have certainty that the final number is veritable?   (List of questions)

In communicating an appraisal report, each appraiser must make sure of the following:
  • The appraisal used an apropos analysis of the data.

  • That significant errors of omission or commission were not committed individually or collectively.

  • That appraisal services were rendered in a careful and conscientious fashion.

  • That a solid, defensible appraisal report was communicated.
There are rigorous education and real world experience requirements that must be fulfilled in order to get an appraisal license in Colorado. Likewise, appraisers must follow a strict industry code of ethics and respect national standards of practice for real estate appraisal. The tenets for developing an appraisal and documenting its results are insured by enforcement of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).


    (List of questions) Regulations regarding licensing and certification of Real Estate Appraisers vary from state to state. In general, licensing and certification is commonly associated with many hours of coursework, tests and real world experience. Once an appraiser is licensed, he/she must then take continuing education courses so that the license doesn't expire. To see the specific requirements for any state click here.

Who do appraisers work for?   (List of questions)

Mortgage lenders are an appraiser's typical client, using their services to ensure a home involved in a mortgage transaction is enough to cover a loan balance in the case of default. Appraisers also provide opinions in litigation cases, tax matters and investment decisions.

Where does GUS Appraisals Inc. get the data used to estimate values in Denver County or other areas?   (List of questions)

One of the primary tasks an appraiser engages in is to collect data. Data can be described as either Specific or General. Specific data is collected from the home itself; Location, condition, amenities, size and other specific data are noted by the appraiser while on site.

General data is collected from a numerous places. Local Multiple Listing Services (MLS) provide data on recently sold homes that might be used as comparables. Tax records and other public documents reveal actual sales prices in a market. Appraisers routinely have to report when a property is in a flood zone, and that information is retrieved from a FEMA data outlet such as a la mode's InterFlood product.

And last but not least, the appraiser gathers general data from his or her past experience in doing assignments for other properties in the same market.

Why do I need a professional appraisal?   (List of questions)

Any time the value of your home or other real property is being used to make a significant financial decision, an appraisal helps. For those selling a home, you'll want to determine a price that gets you the most profit but doesn't leave your home on the market too long; an appraisal can help with that. If you're buying, it makes sure you don't overpay. For people settling an estate or divorce, an appraisal from GUS Appraisals Inc. is the best way to ensure assets are split up evenly. Simply put, a home is often the single, largest financial asset anybody owns. Don't make decisions in the dark with a professional appraisal.

What exactly is PMI and how can I get rid of it?   (List of questions)

PMI stands for Private Mortgage Insurance. PMI takes care of the lender in case a borrower is unable to pay on the loan and the value of the property is less than what is owed on the loan. Once you can prove the amount you owe on your home is less than 80% of the home's market value, you can make a case to your lender to drop the PMI.

Did you have less than 20% to put down on your mortgage? Contact GUS Appraisals Inc. today at (303) 722-2225. You may be able to save money by removing your Private Mortgage Insurance premium.

Do you need anything from the homeowner in advance?   (List of questions)

We begin with an inspection of the property. During this process, we will come to your home and measure it, determine the layout of the rooms inside, confirm all aspects of the home's general condition, and take several photos of your house for inclusion in the report. On the home's interior, pick up any clutter and make sure we can find our way to things like furnaces and water heaters. In the yard, trim any landscaping so we can be free to get an accurate measurement of outside walls.

You can make the inspection go faster and improve the accuracy of the appraisal report by having the following things on hand:
  • Written property agreements, such as a maintenance easement for a shared driveway.
  • Any documents, such as a title policy with information on encroachments or easements encroachments or easements.
  • Home inspection reports, or other recent reports for termites, EIFS (synthetic stucco) wall systems, septic systems and wells.
  • A copy of the current listing agreement and broker's data sheet and Purchase Agreement if a sale is "pending".
  • A list of "suggested" improvements if the property is to be appraised "as complete".

How does an appraiser define "Market Value"?   (List of questions)

In real estate appraising, Market Value is commonly defined as:

"The most probable price (in terms of money) which a property should bring in a competitive and open market under all conditions requisite to a fair sale, the buyer and seller each acting prudently and knowledgeably, and assuming the price is not affected by undue stimulus. Implicit in this definition is the consummation of a sale as of a specified date and the passing of title from seller to buyer under conditions whereby: the buyer and seller are typically motivated; both parties are well informed or well advised, and acting in what they consider their best interests; a reasonable time is allowed for exposure in the open market; payment is made in terms of cash in United States dollars or in terms of financial arrangements comparable thereto; and the price represents the normal consideration for the property sold unaffected by special or creative financing or sales concessions granted by anyone associated with the sale."

Who has rights to the appraisal report?   (List of questions)

For mortgage transactions, the lender orders the appraisal, either directly or through a third party. Even though it's the buyer that eventually pays for the report, the lender is the intended user. The buyer is certainly entitled to a copy of the appraisal - it's usually bundled with all the other closing documents - but is not allowed to use the report for any other purpose without permission from the lender.

The exception to this rule is when a home owner engages an appraiser directly. In these scenarios, the appraiser may define the purpose of the appraisal; for PMI removal, or estate planning or tax challenges, for example. If not stipulated otherwise, the home owner can use the appraisal for any purpose.

Are some home improvements more worthwhile than others?   (List of questions)

Like all things real estate, this is dependent on a home's location. For example, putting in an inline humidifier could be nice in arid regions, but completely useless near the coast!

No matter where you go, however, renovating a kitchen is almost always a safe move. One recent study revealed that putting $20,000 into a kitchen remodel would add about $17,500 to the value of the home - or about an 88% return on investment. Bathrooms weren't far behind, yielding 85%. Adding bedrooms and baths can also help the value of your home (when done well) as long as your home doesn't then become overbuilt for your neighborhood in terms of size.