4 Things You Need to Know About Appraisals and Inspections in Riverside

If you’ve never done it before, the process of purchasing or selling a home in Riverside can be a daunting and perplexing set of challenges. We’ll look at four things you should know about appraisals and inspections in Riverside to assist you prepare for a portion of that journey:

The Appraisal

After an offer is accepted on a home, one of the first major steps is completing an appraisal to determine the general value of the home. 

This value is appropriately referred to as the appraised value, as opposed to the market value, which is the amount of money a buyer is willing to pay for a Riverside property. If the buyer uses a mortgage lender to get a loan, the lender will choose and employ a competent appraiser to come to the house. Otherwise, the buyer will be on their own to do so.

The appraiser does a floor-to-ceiling inspection of the Riverside property’s interior and exterior to note any available features and the overall condition. They next carefully analyse the Riverside property’s valuation in light of these discoveries, as well as current market trends and other nearby comparable sales in the area.

What you’re left with is a number that acts as a very general guideline of the value of the home relative to its location, features, condition, and market health.

The Inspection

On the other end of the home evaluation spectrum, an inspection is conducted by a licensed home inspector to also evaluate the condition of the operational parts of the home. 

The second goal of any effective home inspection is to walk the buyer through each of these components and educate them not just on how they function, but also on some best practises for running the home as efficiently as possible. Before the sale is finalised, a home inspector is trained to identify potential sites of failure in the home and check that they are in functioning order.

Other specialized inspections can be done, such as termite and mold inspections or radon testing.

Ways to Prepare for Both

As either a buyer or seller, there are some steps you can take to get ready for appraisals and inspections. 

As the seller, the most important thing you can do is ensure that all sections of your home are freely accessible and that the appraisal process is not hampered by clutter. Keeping your Riverside property clean and tidy is something you should do regardless when selling it, so this is unlikely to be a huge issue.

As the buyer, looking at reviews of home inspectors and then selecting the right one for you will get you ready after your appraisal comes back.

Why You Should Bother with Them

The very short way of explaining why you should bother with both the appraisal and home inspection is that if the buyer is being financed by a mortgage lender they will be required. 

The appraisal aids a lender in determining if investing in the Riverside property by way of a loan to the buyer is a sound investment. If the appraised value of the home is less than the agreed-upon sales price, the lender may ask the buyer to make up the difference or reject the loan outright.

The home inspection acts as a safe introduction to all parts of the home and is always a good idea despite the circumstances of the Riverside property’s sale.

Guidance for Appraisals and Inspections in Riverside

Whether you’re a buyer or seller who wants help understanding the appraisals and inspections process, contact us today at (951) 355-7115!