Buying or Selling a Home
If you're planning to sell your home, setting an appropriate listing price can help to speed the sale. An appraiser, using market data, arrives at an opinion of market value that can help you decide on a fair listing price. Similarly, when you're shopping for a new home, a professional appraisal can indicate if the listing prices of homes you're considering are in line with the actual sale prices of similar properties.

Transfer of ownership typically involves a mortgage, and an appraisal usually is required before a home loan is approved. Lending institutions may require an appraisal of property that will be used as security for a mortgage, and this opinion of value plays a key role in mortgage application approval and the amount of down payment required.

Canceling Private Mortgage Insurance
New homeowners are frequently required to obtain private mortgage insurance, but as a result of legislation passed by Congress in 1998, homeowners can cancel this coverage when their loan to value ratio reaches 80 percent. To take advantage of this option a homeowner generally must have a good payment history and satisfy the holder of the mortgage that the value of the property has not declined below its original value. An appraiser can develop an opinion of the current value of the home, which will assist the homeowner in deciding whether or not to ask the lender to drop mortgage insurance.

Relocating for a Job
Real estate appraisals are often needed by relocation firms that assist employers in the transfer of their employees. Sometimes, the relocation firm offers to purchase an employee's home if the employee is unable to sell the home during a specified time period. An appraiser is called in to estimate the market value of the home; this estimate of value helps the relocation firm decide how much to pay for the property. The appraiser may be selected by the relocation firm, the employer or by the homeowner - employee, depending on the relocation firm's policy.

Appealing Your Tax Assessment
Real estate taxes in Arkansas are based on an ad valorem ("according to value") assessment of your property's value. If you believe the assessed value is unfair, you may have the right to appeal the assessor's valuation. Many assessment appeals can be resolved with a telephone call or letter to your local assessor. If a dispute is carried beyond this point, however, you may want a professional appraiser to give you an independent opinion of value to bolster your appeal to the assessor.

Insuring Your Home
Although most reputable insurance brokers can tell you if your fire and hazard coverage is sufficient, there are properties that may require a closer examination - for example, older buildings, custom-built homes or properties with unusual features such as solar energy collectors. An appraiser can give an opinion of the insurable value of your home by using the cost approach.

Remodeling and Rehabbing
Many homeowners today are choosing to fix up rather than trade up: to remodel and enlarge a present home rather than move to another home. But don't count on receiving a dollar-for-dollar return at resale time Some improvements may not return their costs. Some highly personalized improvements can even handicap the sale of your home. If you're considering improving your home with the intention of increasing its resale value, an appraiser can help you decide which improvements make the most economic sense.
If you're undertaking a major rehabilitation project, a feasibility study can be very useful. The appraiser conducting the study analyzes the condition of the property and the cost of rehabilitation and prepares an estimate of the property's value after improvement (the improved value will affect the ad valorem real estate tax). In addition, the appraiser will examine the surrounding neighborhood in terms of growth, structure and change. The appraiser can also investigate whether your property qualifies for historic preservation benefits from the federal and local governments. All of the data, gathered and analyzed by the professional appraiser, can aid you in your decision to rehabilitate.