Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are you qualified to provide me with an official appraisal?

A:Yes. All of our appraisers are licensed by New York State to provide certified residential appraisals. Our staff consists of only experienced appraisers with in-depth knowledge of the areas in which they perform appraisals.

(Also, unlike most other appraisal companies, we don't employ appraiser trainees).

Q: Is the appraisal report you provide going to be acceptable for my purposes?

A:Yes. We provide detailed and comprehensive professional appraisal reports for a wide variety of clients and purposes. As such, we are familiar with the standards and reporting requirements for any situation requiring a residential appraisal. None of our clients have ever had one of our appraisal reports rejected for any reason.

Our appraisal reports are routinely relied upon by New York State Courts, financial institutions, local, state and federal tax agencies, Medicaid, attorneys, accountants, real estate professionals, as well as individual homeowners like yourself.

Q: What areas are included in your coverage area?

A:Our primary service area is Nassau County. However, our firm also has four other offices located in and servicing the counties of Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.

Q: What is the appraisal based on?

A:With regard to single-family and multi-family homes as well as condo or co-op homes, an appraisal is primarily based on recent sales of similar nearby properties with broadly similar physical characteristics.

Q: Does the appraisal take into account the condition of my home?

A:Yes. The condition of your home is an important factor in the appraisal process. That's why the first step of an appraisal is the property inspection. During the property inspection, the appraiser will note details about the condition of your home, inside and out, and rely on that data as the basis for comparison for the rest of the appraisal process.

Q: How long does the appraisal take?

A:It depends on which part of the appraisal process you are referring to: scheduling the appointment, completing the property inspection or delivering the written appraisal report.

Scheduling the appointment - It only takes a couple of minutes to schedule the appointment for the appraisal. We're very flexible and can usually accommodate your request for almost any day and time provided you call us at least 2 or 3 days in advance.

(If you need a rush appraisal, just let us know when you call to schedule your appointment - we'll make sure you have the report before your deadline).

Completing the property inspection - Once you schedule an appointment for the appraisal, the next step is for the appraiser to visit your property to complete a brief inspection. This step usually takes only about 30 minutes.

Delivery of the written appraisal report - After the property inspection is complete, the appraiser will begin second half of the process - research and analysis followed by the completion of a comprehensive written appraisal report. You'll receive the written appraisal report within just a few days of the property inspection.

Q: How long is the appraisal good for?

A:It depends on a number of factors. Depending on market conditions in the area where your property is located, an appraisal is usually valid and accurate for at least a couple of months from the date the appraisal is done.

However, when an appraisal is being submitted to some official authority (e.g. a bank, the IRS, your local township, etc.) how long an appraisal is considered valid will usually be determined by the authority to which you are submitting the appraisal.

Q: What days of the week are you available to do the appraisal?

A:We are available 6 days a week to perform your appraisal - Monday through Saturday.

“…it was a pleasure doing business with you…”

Just a note to thank you for providing me with excellent service regarding my real estate appraisal. Your company not only provided me with a professional appraisal, but it also did so in a manner that fulfilled all my requests and expectations willingly. As a result of your genuine efforts, it was a pleasure doing business with you, and I would recommend your services enthusiastically.

Bob Taormina

“…I would recommend you enthusiastically to anyone…”

Recently you appraised a condo that my husband and I were interested in buying. Given the crazy real-estate market, we knew we could not trust the appraisal that would be provided by a lender, so we wanted a truly independent appraisal. As neither of us had a clue how to go about finding and appraiser in NYC, we simply turned to the Internet. Picking someone from the web always seems to be a chancy proposition. However, in this case our choice was excellent. In every way you impressed me with your professionalism and knowledge. You returned my initial call promptly. You arrived on time. You did a very through job at in inspecting the condo. At the end, my daughter did her best to get you to give a "ballpark" estimate on the spot, but I was very pleased to see that you insisted that you could not provide a meaningful estimate until you had all the information in hand. We received the appraisal report 3 days after the appraisal and it was extremely detailed. And all this for a very reasonable price. I would recommend you enthusiastically to anyone I know who needed an appraisal in NYC.

Sarah Lenington, PhD

“…saved me from potentially making an over-valued purchase…”

Thank you for the very thorough appraisal you recently conducted for me. It saved me from potentially making an over-valued purchase.

David S.

“…your report was very definitive and very complete…”

Thank you so much for sending the appraisal. You did an excellent job and I was very impressed with the details and thoroughness of your report. Your report was very definitive and very complete. While we are aware that the appraisal is not a final determination of the sale price of the house, your objective evaluation gave us a realistic view of the true value of the property. Thank you!

Janet Daley

“…I was very pleased with the quality of your services…”

I was very pleased with the reliability, efficiency, and professional quality of your services. If I hear of anyone who needs the service you provided to me, I would certainly highly recommend a call to your office.

Susan Penzer

“…the photographs, research and presentation was flawless…”

We appreciate all you have done to help lower our taxes. We were very impressed with your professionalism and thoroughness. The photographs, research and presentation was flawless. We will and have recommended Appraisal Source for any and all appraisal needs.

Mari Catalanello

“…we will highly recommend you to all our friends and family…”

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for all your help and professionalism. We will highly recommend you to all our friends and family whom might need such excellent services from Appraisal Source. EXCELLENT SERVICE!!!:):):)

Gregory & Tara Cespites

“…your appraisal saved us money and a future financial disaster…”

The service was really valuable and I would recommend it to my friends and family. Your appraisal saved us money and a future financial disaster. Thank you.

Dulce Tamares

“…you did a very thorough appraisal of my home…”

I was very pleased with your appraisal services. You acted in a professional manner and did a very thorough appraisal of my home. I would not hesitate to recommend your services to any of my neighbors or friends.

Bob Toolan

“…knowledgeable, honest and very helpful…”

Our experience with Appraisal Source was excellent. Starting with the initial phone call, the appraiser was knowledgeable, honest and very helpful. The appraisal was thorough, professional and the finished documents were exactly what was required. Our appraiser was very reliable, answered all our questions and helped us understand all aspects of the appraisal process. We have recommended Appraisal Source to several of our friends and all have been extremely satisfied.

Rocco & Maryellen Comitino