Home Appraisal Puerto Plata

31 augustus 2022

Whether you are looking to buy, refinance or sell a house or apartment in Puerto Plata, a home appraisal is likely going to be an important part of the process. After all, you have to know how much your current of future property in Puerto Plata is worth before you can make any meaningful financial moves on it.

What exactly is A Home Appraisal?

A home appraisal is a process through which a real estate appraiser determines the fair market value of a home. It can assure you and your lender that the price you’ve agreed to pay for a home is fair. Appraisals in Puerto Plata are also often used to determine property taxes, which makes them a requirement in most counties.

If you need a mortgage to buy a home in Puerto Plata, your buyer real estate agent will likely suggest that you include an appraisal contingency in the sales agreement. The appraisal contingency lets you walk away from a home purchase if the appraisal comes in too low to justify the agreed-upon purchase price.

While necessary in most cases, appraisals aren’t required. You may want to skip the contingency if you’re buying a house or apartment in Puerto Plata with cash or if you’re in a seller’s market. However, it makes a lot of sense if you’re buying your first house or apartment or if you’re on a tight budget. It also protects you from paying too much for a property that’s worth less than it’s being sold for.

Home Appraisal Vs. Home Inspection in Puerto Plata

An appraisal differs from a home inspection, which is a much more in-depth process. In a home inspection, an inspector specifically looks for problems in the home and determines whether certain areas need repairs. An inspector may test outlets, run the home’s furnace to see if it can hold a stable temperature and look at the roof to see if it’s been properly installed. A home appraiser will take visible defects into account, such as a roof that’s caved in or the fact that the home doesn’t have a working plumbing system, but they do not search for specific problems. Instead, the appraiser mainly looks for an overall value to assign to the property without digging for deeper issues.

What Do Home Appraisers in Puerto Plata Look For?

Appraisals are not performed by your mortgage company. Most banks require that only an independent third party may perform a property appraisal, ask your REMAX agent in Puerto Plata to schedule an appointment for you! an appraiser looks at a number of factors in the home to determine its value. Some of the things that appraisers consider when they determine a home’s value include:

Living condition of the home: Unlike a home inspector, the appraiser isn’t looking for specific faults or issues. Instead, they’ll be assessing the general condition of the property. The appraiser will count the number of bedrooms, make sure there are no safety hazards present and check the functionality of home systems. Their primary focus is to determine if your home is livable and how much it is worth. If it is deemed unsafe, your house’s appraisal value could be much lower than expected.
Home improvements: If you’ve completed any upgrades or renovations to your house, the appraiser will consider them, but only if they’re permanent fixtures. For an improvement to increase the value of your home, the upgrade will need to be left behind when you move. Otherwise, the appraiser will not include it in their evaluation. The appraiser will also check for any upgrades you’ve made outside of the main living areas, for example, if you’ve renovated your garage, finished your basement or landscaped around your pool.
Nearby home values: Your home isn’t the only one considered when the appraisal is done. A licensed appraiser will make sure to include a brief analysis of comparable properties or “comps” that are located close to your home. They’ll check what these other houses sold for and their current property values to help them find an appropriate dollar amount for your home. Puerto Plata has various arias each with their positive and negative sides. If an appraiser is not familiar with the area were your property is located it will hard for him to compare the price to other properties. Your RE/MAX agent in Santo Domingo knows exactly which appraiser you should hire. To give value to a modern apartment in Piantini or a colonial building in zone Colonial are real 2 different jobs. In Piantini the appraiser will have to look into the monthly HOA fee, is the HOA healthy, is Airbnb rental allowed in the building, the level of the apartment and M2 and view. The appraiser of an historical building have to look if the materials who were used for renovation are an exact copy of the original an needs to know more about restriction on changing the face of the building. Remax agents work in all areas of the Dominican Republic each agent with expertise in his or her own area from contact you agent for the area Santo Domingo, Juan Dolio, Boca Chica, La Romana, Casa De Campo, Cap Cana, Punta Cana, Bavaro, Samana, Las Terrenas, Caberete, Sosua, Santiago, Puerto Plata Bayahibe and all other arias.

After the appraiser finishes his research, he will come up with a final valuation of the property in a formal report. This report can be used to show the bank the value of the property. The banks use this kind of reports to calculate the maximum mortgage you can get on the property. In most of the cases the appraisal report will be used for the process to get an mortgage, but refinance, taking out surplus of the property, putting your property on the balance of your company, buying out a partner are also common situations that a appraisal report is helpful

Appraisal Tips For Buyers in Puerto Plata

Home appraisals can affect the selling price and maximum mortgage amount for a property. An appraised value that is much lower than your purchase price could mean trouble. If the house appraises for less than you’ve agreed to pay, you may find yourself having to bring more cash to close or negotiating again with the seller to make the deal work for both of you. In some cases, a too-low appraisal could force you to walk away from the home. If you’re buying a home, here are some things to keep in mind about your appraisal. Be Thoughtful About Your Offer A hot market can force buyers to make offers well above the asking price. In some cases, buyers may end up agreeing to pay much more than the home is actually worth. If you have extra money to bring to the table, this might not be a problem, but if you don’t have extra cash on hand, a low appraisal might mean you can’t get financed. To avoid this scenario, you need to know the market in Santo Domingo. Keep an eye on comparable sales and hire a great Buyer real estate agent who knows the area well.

Appeal The Appraisal Do you think the appraiser made an error? You may be able to appeal the decision. Review the appraisal report to make sure everything checks out. Did they note all the property details correctly? Are the comparable properties cited in the report too far away from the home you’re buying? These may be grounds to dispute the appraisal. To start the appeal process, contact your lender.

It should be noted that this is a longshot process and appraisers are given the opportunity to correct errors before a new appraisal is ordered.

Don’t Stress

The appraisal results are out of your hands, so as the buyer, all you can really do is hope things work out the way they’re supposed to. The appraisal is in place to protect you and your lender from overpaying for a home – so a low appraisal could be a blessing in disguise.

Home Appraisal Tips For Sellers in Puerto Plata

When you’re selling your apartment or house in Puerto Plata it’s important that the home doesn’t appraise for significantly less than what the buyer agreed to pay. Unless you’ve got a cash offer, a low appraisal could be a deal-breaker. Here are some ways to help your home appraise for the right amount.

Provide An Offer List

If you received more than one offer for your home, let your appraiser know. Multiple offers can show the appraiser that your home was priced well. Provide the appraiser with a list showing each offer you received.

Attend The Appraisal

As the seller, you’re allowed to be present when the appraiser is doing his walkthrough. Accompanying the appraiser gives you the chance to point out any upgrades, improvements or particularly charming design features. This is your chance to make sure the appraiser doesn’t overlook those fantastic new cabinets or countertops you just installed.

Tidy Up

You can’t change your home’s square footage or location, but you can make your home look bigger, brighter and more valuable with a few affordable home renovation tricks. Maximize your space by putting away countertop appliances and clutter. Replace dim light bulbs with brighter ones. Hang mirrors to maximize natural light and give the illusion of a bigger room. Pull furniture away from the wall. Pick up any debris in the front or backyard and give your garden some attention to boost your home’s curb appeal. Do whatever you can to make your home look tidier and more spacious.

Provide Comparable Properties

If you or your agent is aware of recent sales of apartment comparable to your property in Puerto Plata that could be considered in the report, provide them to your appraiser. Search public records for homes with a final sale price close to what you asked for your home. You can present this list to the appraiser when they arrive at the property.

Home Appraisal Tips For Refinancers in Puerto Plata

When you’re refinancing in Puerto Plata, you want to get the highest appraisal value possible. A low appraisal value could keep you from refinancing, but a high appraisal value means more equity for you – which could mean more cash out or better loan terms.

Here are some ways to up your chances of a high appraisal value.

Get An Outside Opinion

Your home is full of memories, which may give you blind spots when it comes to defects in your home. Have a friend or family member examine each room in your home and point out areas that can be improved. Sometimes, a new set of eyes is just what you need.

Declutter

A thorough decluttering will help each room look more put-together. While your appraiser shouldn’t assess your home’s value based on how much clutter or mess there is, it’ll be easier for them to see your home favorably if everything’s put away nicely.

Upgrades And Improvements

Upgrades and improvements can increase your property’s value, but the work you’ve done may not always be obvious. Did you get a new air conditioner? Replace the windows? Add new landscaping? Provide your appraiser with a list of upgrades you’ve made so they can consider these items in their report.

It should be noted that these have to be improvements to have an impact on value. If you didn’t have an air conditioner before, the addition of central air adds value, for example. However, if you replace an air conditioner that broke, that’s maintenance and doesn’t add to the value.

The Bottom Line

Appraisals are beneficial for everyone involved in the home buying process. For buyers, a home appraisal ensures they’re paying the current fair market value. For sellers, an appraisal helps them price their home competitively. And for lenders, an appraisal provides proof that a home is valued properly before they approve a mortgage.

Are you ready to continue your homeownership journey in Puerto Plata and apply for a mortgage or a refinance of your current home loan? Get started with contacting one of our REMAX agents today to learn more about the next steps in the home buying or refinancing process.

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Home Appraisal Puerto Plata

Home Appraisal Vs. Home Inspection in Puerto Plata

What Do Home Appraisers in Puerto Plata Look For?

Appraisal Tips For Buyers in Puerto Plata

Don’t Stress

Home Appraisal Tips For Sellers in Puerto Plata

Provide An Offer List

Attend The Appraisal

Tidy Up

Provide Comparable Properties

Home Appraisal Tips For Refinancers in Puerto Plata

Get An Outside Opinion

Declutter

Upgrades And Improvements

The Bottom Line

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Investment Dominican Republic

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Penthouse Bavaro for sale

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