It was an honor and privilege to be invited by a prestigious and one of the top appraisers company in the land to join their team in appraising property in Metro Manila.
Truly it adds value to my appraisal skills and in running an appraisal company.
Great experience.
I have a client who asked me if I am using the same appraisal report format in my practice. I quickly replied no. Why? Real estate properties have different appraised values depending on how you intend to use the appraisal. For instance, valuation for insurance may be very different than the value in the market, estate tax, property resale, or insurance. Other assigned uses include investment, liquidation, price confirmation, equitable distribution, loan collateral, retrospective value and many more.
Qualified and educated appraisers understand the many different types of values, assigned uses, and market condition in an specific area. He or she works with client to choose the proper type of value so that they can use the appraisal correctly and effectively.
Whenever there’s a question about the value of your property, there’s also a risk involved. It may be the risk of selling too low, or of paying too much: the risk of being under or over insured; the risk of not getting your fair share in a division of property; the risk of incurring tax penalties or being audited when calculating estate taxes.
A professional appraiser helps you manage these and other such risks by providing a written opinion of value upon which you can base your financial decisions. Rather than being just an “educated guess”, the professional appraiser’s value conclusions are based upon prescribed methods of valuation, research and report writing.
Bankers, investors, insurers, brokers, trustees, lawyers, judges, government agencies – ALL are dependent upon the knowledge and expertise of the appraisers, and so are you. Too often and too late, people find out that the appraisals they have are inaccurate or misleading, resulting not only in greater risk to themselves, but also a waste of millions out of their pocket.
No two properties are alike, no two appraisals are alike.
A big corporation contacted me for an appraisal work. They asked for my credentials and if I’m a bank accredited appraiser. Previously, they hired a research group to do the valuation, but not satisfied with the result.
I commended their effort to look for a licensed and experienced appraiser, and gave them my credentials. I explained to them the difference between an experienced bank appraiser and non-bank appraiser.
It pays to be able to discern between the two.
What are the difference?
Non-bank appraisal is a market niche, often best suited for appraisers who think outside the box. These assignments include appraisal reports performed for situations such as pre-listing, financial reporting, divorce settlement, other litigation related cases, and government agencies appraisal needs. Intended users need to find the most qualified and experienced appraisers. Well-vetted experts are most applicable when testimony is a possibility or when looking at unique properties.
Take lawyers, for example; They need someone who can report not only well enough to be reliable but also defensible in court and a communicator. It takes a good professional to write a report, but an even better one to be effective to withstand in court trials and argumentation with fellow commissioners and lawyers. An appraiser should know how to convince the commissioners in court of his valuation, and come up with a recommendation, thereby hastening the trial process.He must also be able to communicate complex valuation theory to assessors, lawyers and judge who may have no deeper understanding of valuation processes, approaches and adjustments. In other words, the appraiser must become an effective teacher in addition to being a good report writer.
Meanwhile, many appraisers who work primarily with banks are confine within company scope of work. Banks often require appraisers to utilize comparable sales within a “price range” of an area, and not to exceed company guidelines when adjusting comparable sales and in using valuation approaches.
Clients and user of appraisal work should tread very carefully when selecting appraisers. Choosing an appraiser with limited experience could result in less than optimal results.
After the discussion with their top management, they decided to get my service. Another big corporation in my client list.
Appraisal of a warehouse can appear straightforward compared to other appraisal assignments. A warehouse appraisal involves comparing a building that is primarily an open shell to similar buildings. Some appraisers tend to assume that one “box” is pretty much the same as another. However, a number of warehouse characteristics can present challenges during the valuation process.
Some appraisers end in using Cost Approach method as a generic method in appraising buildings. But there are several critical differences appraisers need to keep in mind. First, knowing the remaining economic life of a structure is a big factor in determining what method should be used. Appraising old structures using the cost approach method may generate an incorrect result. Income approach is the reasonable method in this situation. Second, the importance of solving the question of the highest and best use of the property- as vacant and as improved, gains ground when the subject property is old and located in a neighborhood where other best use is possible and more feasible.
In appraising these warehouses using Income Approach, it is essential to carefully consider the following factors in selecting comparables:
• Excess land
• Truss height
• Percent of office space
• Loading facilities
• Truck maneuvering distance
• Floor thickness/loading capacity
• Power service
• Land-to-building ratio
• Size relative to typical building size
The most important, location-related factors can differentiate warehouses located within the same community. The value of a warehouse facility is tied to the ability to move goods efficiently in and out of the warehouse. Any inefficiency reduces profitability.
In a challenging profession, an appraiser should think “out of the box” in looking methods that will result in a reliable and unbiased opinion of value.
Real Estate Appraisers are often requested to provide an expert opinion as to the value of a property (an appraisal), for the purposes of determining just compensation. In an expropriation proceeding commissioners should at least be appointed to determine just compensation in accordance with the procedure in Section 5 of Rule 67 (Rules of Court). xxx the court shall appoint not more than three (3) competent and disinterested persons as commissioners to ascertain and report to the court the just compensation for the property sought to be taken.xxx
Additionally, appraisers are often requested to conduct an appraisal where the purpose is not explicitly described as being for litigation, but where litigation may result. Examples would be an appraisal completed for eviction cases, divorce proceedings, foreclosure or power of sale, or for civil forfeiture. Although appraiser’s reports are often entered into evidence for court, the appraiser is not necessarily called upon to provide expert witness testimony or to defend the report. However, it is prudent for the client ordering an appraisal to be sure the appraiser is aware of the duty of the expert witness and the court rules for report requirements, prior to engagement for an appraisal assignment.
“It is another area in our profession where we can lend services and specialize in” said Gus Agosto. Gus has been appointed by a lower court in Lapulapu City as a commissioner that will help the court in determining just compensation in expropriation case on trial. He also provided support to lawyers for litigation and court cases like eviction, judicial settlement and divorce.
The appraiser as experts may also provide retrospective appraisals, independent-appraisal analysis, appraisal review , expert witness testimony and litigation-support services in all real property valuation.
When selecting a real estate appraiser for litigation support, knowledge and experience matter. An appraiser should strive to be more knowledgeable and experienced property appraiser in providing litigation support and expert witness services.
Real Appraisal 