Rodkin on Home Appraisals During a Divorce

Another interesting factor Dennis did not mention in his reply was that of the appraisers themselves. I've found with cases I've seen, how familiar the appraiser is with the area can also make a difference.

I've worked with some appraisers whose work tends to be solely focused on banks, mortgages and re-fis and so their numbers have skewed towards the lower , more conservative side while others who may be independent or are more used to working with real estate agents, may skew higher.

I agree with Dennis in that appraisers are supposed to give an arms length report on the value of the home but remember - they are human beings and come with their own set of interpretive skills.