What's Your Property Worth?

What is a Home Valuation?

A home valuation determines the current market value of a residential property. It is crucial for real estate transactions, preventing excessive borrowing and financial losses. When getting a mortgage, the home acts as collateral. If the borrower defaults, the lender may sell the property to recover funds. A thorough home valuation safeguards the lender's ability to recover costs if the mortgage is not fully repaid.

How is the Valuation of My Home Calculated?

The value of your home is calculated using a combination of factors including its location, age, size, condition, any improvements or renovations made, and recent sale prices of comparable homes in the neighborhood. It also factors in current market trends and local market conditions, such as inventory trends, interest rates, and current buyer sentiment.

How Accurate is an Online Home Valuation?

Online home valuations provide a good starting point and offer a general estimate of your property’s worth. However, they may not factor in recent renovations, unique features, historical value, architectural significance, and subjective market perception that could impact your home’s actual market value. That’s why Fernando reviews every request personally.

How Is a Valuation Performed?

Comparative Market Analysis

A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is a tool used by real estate agents to value a home. It evaluates similar homes that have recently sold in the same area. In most cases, an agent will find three homes that have recently sold and are as similar to and located as close to the home being valued as possible. Each one is then analyzed to pinpoint differences between it and the home being valued. Once these differences are priced out, the price of each comp is adjusted to see what it would cost if it was identical to the home being valued were it to be sold in the current market.

Appraisals: Based on a Professional’s Opinion

An appraisal is an unbiased valuation of a home based on a professional’s opinion. They are usually what mortgage companies use for home purchases and refinances. A lender usually orders a home appraisal and the cost of the appraisal, sometimes up to $500, is paid by the homeowner. An appraiser does a complete visual inspection of the interior and exterior of the home as well as taking into consideration recent sales of similar properties and market trends.

Why Is a Valuation Important?

Refinancing

Lenders base the amount of their loans on the value of your property and usually allow you to borrow a maximum of 75% to 96.5% against your property. Knowing what your home is worth allows lenders to calculate your equity in the home. The more equity you have, the better terms you will receive on your refinance.

Home Improvements

If you’re doing home improvement projects to increase the resale value, you want to make sure you’re not pricing it out of the market. When you get a valuation, you can see how your home compares with others in the neighborhood and let this guide your home improvement decisions.

Qualifying for Credit

If you want to borrow cash against your home, getting a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) could be a good option. To qualify, you must have a certain level of equity in your home. Most lenders require at least 20%. Getting a home valuation will help you determine if you qualify.

Planning

Simply knowing the value of your home is good information to have. It will help you plan for the future and deal with unforeseen circumstances when you might need extra money or a quick relocation.