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How long does an appraisal take?

Two different clocks, and people conflate them: time on site and time to report.

On site

| Property | Typical inspection | |---|---| | Condominium unit | 15–30 minutes | | Standard single-family home | 20–45 minutes | | Larger or updated home | 45–75 minutes | | Acreage with outbuildings | 1–2 hours | | Waterfront with dockage | 1 hour+ | | Exterior-only / drive-by | 10–20 minutes |

The inspection is the visible part and the smaller part. Most of the work happens afterwards.

To report

Standard residential: 3 to 7 days after inspection.

That covers identifying and verifying comparable sales, building the adjustment analysis, writing the report and reviewing it. On a lender assignment, add the lender's or AMC's own review queue — which is outside the appraiser's control and is frequently where the time actually goes.

Longer, legitimately:

• Retrospective assignments — establishing condition and market as of a past date takes real

research

• Unusual properties — where few genuinely comparable sales exist, finding and verifying them

takes longer

• Acreage and waterfront — more to measure, more to verify, more to document
• Litigation work — prepared to be challenged, which means a heavier file

The whole process, end to end

For a typical financed purchase or refinance:

1. Order placed — day 0 2. Appraiser assigned and contacts you — 1–2 days 3. Inspection scheduled — 1–4 days, driven almost entirely by access 4. Report delivered — 3–7 days after inspection 5. Lender review — 1–5 days

Realistically one to two and a half weeks from order to a lender having a usable appraisal. Faster is possible; anyone promising 48 hours on a standard purchase is describing an exception.

What actually causes delays

Access. By a distance the biggest one. A tenant who will not confirm, a seller's agent slow to respond, a locked gate, an unreachable owner. Every day spent scheduling is a day added.

Missing condominium documents. The association budget, reserve status, and — since 2022 — milestone inspection and structural integrity reserve study status. Appraisers need them, and associations are not always quick.

Thin comparable data. A community with two sales a year requires more work and wider search, and the report has to justify every choice.

Revision requests. A lender's reviewer asking for clarification adds a cycle.

Incomplete information from the owner. Unrecorded permits, unclear square footage, a disputed addition.

When you need it fast

Say so when you call, and say why. Some assignment types genuinely warrant rearranging a schedule — bail bond collateral is the clearest case, and we will move other work to take one.

What speeds things up on your side: confirm access immediately, have the improvement list and permits ready, and for a condominium request the association package the day you engage us.

What does not speed things up: asking for a shorter turnaround without changing anything else. The research either supports the number or it does not.

How to prepare for an appraisal · What is a home appraisal? · Request an appraisal

Matt Thoren, State-Certified Residential Appraiser. 561-853-2129 · Residential only.