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You are here: Home / Blog / Tips for Home Buyers

What’s the difference between an Appraisal and an Inspection?

February 1, 2022

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN APPRAISAL AND A HOME INSPECTION?

If you’re planning to buy a home, the home inspection and appraisal are important steps in the process. Here’s the key difference between an appraisal and an inspection:

“In simplest terms, a home appraisal determines the value of a home, while a home inspection determines the condition of a home.”

Here’s the breakdown of each one and why they’re both important when buying a home.

Appraisal

The home appraisal is a professional evaluation of the market value of the home you’d like to buy. In most cases, when you apply for a mortgage, an appraisal is ordered by the lender to confirm or verify the value of the home prior to lending a buyer money for the purchase.

Regardless of what you’re willing to pay for a house, if you’ll be using a mortgage to fund your purchase, the appraisal will help make sure the bank doesn’t loan you more than what the home is worth.

This is especially critical in today’s sellers’ market where low inventory is driving an increase in bidding wars, which can push home prices upward. When sellers are in a strong position like this, they tend to believe they can set whatever price they want for their house under the assumption that competing buyers will be willing to pay more.

However, the lender will only allow the buyer to borrow based on the value of the home. This is what helps keep home prices in check. If there’s ever any confusion or discrepancy between the appraisal and the sale price, your trusted real estate professional will help you navigate any additional negotiations in the buying process.

Home Inspection

The home inspection is a way to determine the current state, safety, and condition of the home before you finalize the sale. If anything is questionable in the inspection process – like the age of the roof, the state of the HVAC system, or just about anything else – you as a buyer have the option to discuss and negotiate any potential issues or repairs with the seller before the transaction is final. Your real estate agent is a key expert to help you through this part of the process.

Bottom Line

The appraisal and the inspection are critical steps when buying a home, and you don’t need to manage them by yourself. Let’s connect today so you have the expert guidance you need to navigate through the entire home buying process.

Filed Under: Tips for Home Buyers Tagged With: Appraisal, Home Inspection

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"Couldn’t have asked for a better Realtor!! Russ was very friendly and professional, very knowledgeable, great at negotiating and had a great strategy for everything. He kept us up to date and did all the heavy lifting for us. He took the time to find houses that matched our needs, took care of setting up our inspections and handled any issues that came up during the process. Russ made the house buying process smooth and stress free. Really can’t say enough good things about Russ. We had zero complaints. We definitely recommend using Russ as your Realtor. "
- J.M., Tucson AZ
"We found Russ to be an excellent Realtor. He was so easy to work with, very professional and thorough. He was always prompt to respond to our calls and emails. We were a bit nervous at first, because we were out of town buyers, but Russ quickly put us at ease. He sent us many potential prospects but he was never pushy. It was so nice to work with someone so honest. We would highly recommend using Russ to anyone who was looking to buy or sell."
- L.M., Green Valley, AZ
"Russ was very helpful with respect to the hunt and purchase of my home in Green Valley. I valued his input as far recommending homes and all the additional info as far as resources in the area. He had to deal with me being in Pennsylvania and handling most of the work long distance. He reviewed the potential homes based on my wants/needs and continually send me lists and updates. By the time I got to Arizona on vacation we went thru the list, visited sites and made a choice in one day. I would gladly recommend Russ to any possible client in the future. Can’t thank him enough. "
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Russ Fortuno, Associate Broker

I'm a Southern Arizona native and year-round Green Valley resident. Whether you’re buying or selling a home in the Green Valley or Sahuarita area, you’ll experience unsurpassed service and professionalism at all stages of your real estate transaction. I welcome the opportunity to assist in your next home sale or purchase.
Meet Russ

Tierra Antigua Realty

18745 S. I-19 Frontage Rd., Ste. A105
Green Valley, AZ 85614
(520) 333-0446
Contact Russ

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