Residential appraisers · South Florida since 1992Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what we actually get asked. If your question is not here, call 561-853-2129 and ask it.
Cost and timing
How much does an appraisal cost? Most standard single-family residential appraisals in South Florida fall in the low hundreds of dollars. Acreage, waterfront, multi-family, retrospective and litigation work costs more, because it takes substantially more time.
Be wary of a quote given before anyone asks what the appraisal is for. Purpose determines scope, and scope determines price. A firm quoting blind is either guessing or selling you the wrong product.
How long does it take? Inspection 20–60 minutes; report typically 3–7 days after. On a financed purchase, allow one to two and a half weeks end to end, including the lender's review queue. More on timing
Who pays? On a mortgage or refinance, you do — usually within closing costs — even though the lender is the client. Everywhere else, whoever engages us pays.
The process
Can I order my own appraisal for my mortgage? No. Lender appraisals go through the lender's process, which exists to keep interested parties away from the appraiser. Anyone offering to sell you an appraisal your lender will accept is describing something that does not exist. A private appraisal for your own decision-making is a different product and we are glad to do one.
Do I have to be home? Someone has to provide access — interior, electrical panel, attic access, garage, and all four sides of the exterior. It does not have to be you.
Can I tell you what I need it to come in at? No, and it can wreck the report. Independence rules prohibit attempts to influence value, and an appraiser who is told a target may have to disclose it — which can make the report unusable to the lender you were trying to satisfy. Facts yes. Targets no.
What should I have ready? A list of improvements with dates and rough costs, permits, a survey, and for a condominium the association's resale package. Full preparation guide
What moves the number
Does a clean house appraise higher? No. Condition matters; polish does not. Clean up enough that the condition can be seen — that is the entire reason.
Will my renovation return what it cost? Usually not all of it, and the fraction varies enormously by improvement and market. Cost and value are different things.
Will a pool add value? Sometimes, rarely by what it cost, and in much of South Florida its absence can cost more than its presence adds. Market-specific.
Why is my Zestimate different? Because it is a statistical estimate that has never seen your house, built from public records that are frequently wrong. Longer answer
When things go wrong
It came in low. Now what? Renegotiate, pay the difference, walk if you have a contingency, or request a reconsideration of value through the lender. That works when you have genuinely better comparable sales or a factual error to correct — not as an appeal. What to do about a low appraisal
Can I get a second appraisal? Not for the same loan, generally. Lenders will not shop for a higher number.
The appraiser used bad comparables. Possibly. That is the most common real defect, and it is fixable — but only by supplying better closed sales, not by disputing the conclusion. How comparables get chosen
Estates, divorce and legal
Can you value a property as of a past date? Yes — routine for estates, divorce, bankruptcy and tax appeals. Only evidence available as of that date counts, and the property's condition then rather than now. Retrospective appraisals
Do I need one for probate? A date-of-death value is needed for the inventory and for the heirs' stepped-up basis. Whether a formal appraisal is required in your case is a question for the estate's attorney — but the IRS expects a qualified appraisal behind a reported value. Estate appraisals
Can one appraiser serve both sides of a divorce? Yes, and it is often cheapest. We are regularly engaged jointly. Independence is the product. Divorce appraisals
Florida-specific
Should I appeal my property taxes? Only if the county's market value exceeds what the property was worth on 1 January — and if Save Our Homes has your assessed value well below market, an appeal may achieve nothing anyway. We will tell you before you pay us. Market value vs assessed value
Will an appraisal remove my PMI? Sometimes — call your servicer first. Both statutory routes key to your original value, so appreciation does not help under the Act itself. Cancellation on current value is servicer or investor policy, and they decide who may appraise. PMI removal
My condo has a milestone inspection coming. Does that affect value? Yes, materially. Since Florida's 2022 reforms, milestone inspections and structural integrity reserve studies drive assessments that move contract prices. An appraisal that ignores the association's documents is missing the largest variable in the building.
About us
Do you appraise commercial property? No. Residential only.
What areas? Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Broward counties.
Do you publish values or client names? Never. No values, no names, no photographs of properties we have appraised. The map shows locations and assignment types only.
Matt Thoren, State-Certified Residential Appraiser. Appraising South Florida since 1992. 561-853-2129 · info@landmarkres.com