7 Tongue-in-Cheek Reasons a Real Estate Appraiser Might Come in with a Low Appraisal

by anastasiakaufman-chime-me

The market value of a home is determined by how much a buyer is willing and able to pay, and the seller is willing to accept. Well, unless the appraiser decides to put the kibosh on it!

Whether you’re the buyer, the seller, or one of the agents involved in the sale, a low appraisal is frustrating. The deal you worked so hard to secure now hangs in the balance, as the bank may only lend based on that lower number.

The truth is, appraisers are human. Sure, they rely on data and market analysis, but at the end of the day, their assessment is still an opinion. And when that opinion doesn’t match the agreed-upon price, it can take a lot of time, stress, and work to resolve, or it can even kill a deal everyone was completely happy with.

Dealing with a low appraisal is never fun, but perhaps a little laughter might be just the right thing to help you get through it. So here are some tongue-in-cheek reasons an appraiser might undervalue a house—none of which (hopefully!) have ever actually been the real cause for a low appraisal: