Georgia Property Valuation Resources

What Is a Home Appraisal?

A home appraisal is an independent, professional opinion of a property's market value, based on inspection and comparable-sales analysis.

How Long Does a Home Appraisal Take?

Most residential appraisals are completed within a few business days to two weeks, depending on scope, scheduling, and the complexity of the assignment.

How Much Does a Home Appraisal Cost?

Appraisal fees vary based on property type, location, and the purpose of the assignment — get an exact quote through our intake process.

What Does an Appraiser Look For?

Appraisers evaluate a property's size, condition, layout, systems, upgrades, and site characteristics relative to comparable homes in the market.

How Are Comparable Sales Selected?

Appraisers select recently sold properties that are similar in location, size, age, and condition, then adjust for differences to estimate market value.

Appraisal vs. CMA

A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) from a real estate agent is a pricing tool, while a licensed appraisal is an independent, standards-based opinion of value.

Appraisal Fundamentals 7 min

Appraisal vs. Automated Home Value Estimate

Automated valuation models rely on public data and algorithms, while a licensed appraisal includes a property-specific inspection and professional judgment.

The Residential Appraisal Process, Step by Step

A detailed walkthrough of how a licensed appraiser actually develops an opinion of value — from initial research through inspection, analysis, and the final report.

The Sales Comparison Approach Explained

How the Sales Comparison Approach — the primary method used to value most homes — works, why comparable selection matters more than proximity, and how adjustments fit in.

The Cost Approach in a Residential Appraisal

How the Cost Approach estimates value by adding land value to depreciated construction cost — and when it matters most for a residential appraisal.

The Income Approach for Residential Property

When and how the Income Approach is used in residential appraisal — mainly for 2-4 unit and rental properties — and how it differs from the Sales Comparison Approach.

How Appraisal Adjustments Actually Work

How appraisers derive dollar adjustments for differences between comparable sales and the subject property — paired-sales analysis, bracketing, and why cost doesn't equal value.

Reconciliation: How Appraisers Arrive at a Final Value

How appraisers weigh the results of multiple approaches and comparable sales into one supportable final opinion of value — and why it isn't a simple average.

Gross Living Area (GLA) Explained

What Gross Living Area actually means in a residential appraisal, why it can differ from public records or listing square footage, and why it drives comparable selection.

How Appraisers Measure a House

The measurement standard most residential appraisers use to calculate square footage, and why exterior-based measurements can differ from other sources.

Quality vs. Condition in an Appraisal

Why appraisers rate a home's construction quality and its current condition separately — and what each rating actually reflects about your property.

Actual Age vs. Effective Age

Why an appraiser may report your home's effective age as different from its actual age — and what that distinction means for depreciation and value.

Functional and External Obsolescence Explained

Two distinct forms of depreciation appraisers analyze — one from the property itself, one from outside influences — and how each affects value.

Highest and Best Use Explained

What 'highest and best use' means in an appraisal, the four tests it has to pass, and why it usually doesn't change anything for a typical single-family home.

Scope of Work, Intended Use & Intended Users

Three related USPAP concepts that quietly shape every appraisal assignment — what the report is for, who can rely on it, and how much analysis it requires.

Effective Date vs. Report Date

Two dates on every appraisal report that mean very different things — the date the value applies to, and the date the report was written.

Extraordinary Assumptions & Hypothetical Conditions

Two USPAP-defined tools appraisers use to handle uncertainty or defined scenarios — what each means, when they're used, and why disclosure matters.

Market Conditions and Time Adjustments

Why an appraiser might adjust a comparable sale's price for when it sold, not just what it is — and how time adjustments are actually derived from market data.

Seller Concessions & Arm's-Length Transactions

Why appraisers verify the conditions behind a comparable sale — seller-paid concessions and arm's-length status — before relying on its stated price.

Why Price Per Square Foot Isn't an Appraisal

Why a simple dollar-per-square-foot calculation can't replace a proper comparable sales analysis, and what it consistently misses about a home's true value.

Why Two Appraisers Can Reach Different Opinions

Appraising involves professional judgment, not a single formula — here's why two qualified appraisers can reasonably arrive at somewhat different values for the same property.