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Kiplinger
Kiplinger
Business
Dori Zinn

What Happens During a Home Appraisal?

A person holding a property appraisal checklist on a clipboard. .

It’s not up to us to determine a home’s worth — that’s what a licensed appraiser does. A home appraisal is an independent evaluation that provides an unbiased estimate of a property’s fair market value. Conducted by a neutral third party, an appraisal is required for most real estate transactions that involve a mortgage.

And since the majority of buyers rely on financing, appraisals are a standard part of the homebuying process. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), about 81% of primary residence purchases involve a mortgage, along with 43% of vacation home purchases.

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