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Order The Appraisal Before The Survey

Ordering an appraisal before a survey is a smart practice in real estate transactions, ensuring a clear understanding of a property’s value early on. Here are key reasons for this sequence.

  1. Purpose and Emphasis:
    • Appraisal: Determines the property’s market value, critical for securing mortgages, tax assessments, and sales. Essential factors such as location, condition, and market trends are evaluated to estimate its worth.
    • Survey: Provides a comprehensive property map, outlining boundaries and legal facets, aiding compliance and offering a clear property layout.
  2. Cost-Efficiency:
    • Appraisals are cost-effective and swift compared to surveys. Opting for an appraisal upfront allows for a cost-effective initial house assessment before committing to a detailed survey.
  3. Lender Requirements:
    • Lenders insist on appraisals to ascertain loan amounts, ensuring the home’s value aligns with the loan requisites.
  4. Negotiation and Informed Choices:
    • Appraisals furnish crucial insights into market value, empowering negotiation and impacting sale prices or financing choices.
  5. Risk Evaluation:
    • Preliminary appraised values aid in evaluating risks, potentially preventing unnecessary expenses on detailed surveys for undervalued properties.
  6. Compliance and Legal Considerations:
    • Addressing legalities like boundaries and encroachments, surveys complement appraisals. Appraisals take precedence to initially determine property value.

Ordering the appraisal before the survey speeds up the process, saves money and meets lender requirements. To make informed decisions when getting a mortgage approval before buying a house, it’s a good idea to access your credit and debt profile. Click HERE to see if you qualify for a free review of your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio.

With over a decade of experience in mortgage financing, Kory Small has been writing articles since opening his mortgage brokerage in January 2021. Originally from Louisiana, Kory has called Houston home for 24 years and serves Houston and the surrounding areas. With a knack for simplifying difficult concepts, Kory focuses on making the mortgage process simple and efficient. Known for clear communication and top-tier service, he works closely with clients and real estate agents to ensure smooth transactions – whether FHA, VA, Conventional, USDA, Jumbo, Non-QM loans (bank statements, DSCR, asset-based, fix-and-flip) or multiple down payment assistance programs across Texas. Outside of the mortgage world, Kory enjoys cooking using his original seasoning blends, producing music, and spending time with family.

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