Latest News
FHA & VA Repairs?…be sure to Ask Questions!
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer, so far. I haven’t posted recently but ran into a situation that all agents should be aware of, especially those who work with FHA & VA Buyers. Now most FHA and VA purchase appraisals will result in a list of mandatory repairs that must be completed … [Read More...]
Don’t Rely on the Public Records…
Don't Rely on the Public Records...When It Comes to Reporting Gross Living Area Accurately. Just today, I had a situation where I was asked to appraise a property in the Graduate Hospital area. As it turns out, the homeowner informed me that I was the second appraiser to look at the property. … [Read More...]
When Do You Need A Listing Appraisal?
This question was asked of me the other day…it’s one that I hear a lot. When should I get a Listing Appraisal and do I have to share it the Listing Appraisal with potential buyers? Great question! Let me break it down into two parts. When should you get a Listing Appraisal? There is really … [Read More...]
Let’s End the Trend
For the past few years I’ve been noticing a trend in how homes, particularly new construction, are being marketed. Perhaps you’ve noticed it, too. What I’m referencing is the inclusion of finished basement space in the overall Gross Living Area (GLA) calculations. (I’ve even seen it where one … [Read More...]
Do Comps need to be within a Mile?
This post is basically a follow-up to my last post, The 6 Month Rule. If you recall, I discussed how far back in time appraisers can go when selecting comparables. In this post I’d like to address a similar misconception brought up in a comment by Portland, OR appraiser, Gary Kristensen. He … [Read More...]
Neighborhoods
Market Report: Fishtown, 19125
FISHTOWN continues to be one of the hot Philadelphia Zip Codes. Between the beginning of 2015 and September 1, 2015 there have been 474 recorded sales listed in the Trend MLS. This figure does not include any private sales that were not in the MLS. On average homes spend 57 days on the market with a … [Read More...]
Attention Attorneys: That Appraisal May Not Be Valid
If you’re an attorney or legal professional and engage the services of residential real estate appraisers for divorce, estates, bankruptcy or tax appeal, you need to read this. It could be the simple difference between your case succeeding or failing. Most attorneys’ primary concern when they … [Read More...]
The Coyle Group – YouTube
Please watch our new video that outlines many of the services that the real estate appraisers at The Coyle Group provide to attorneys, accountants and private individuals across Philadelphia, Montgomery County, Bucks County, Delaware County & Chester County. … [Read More...]
Mount Airy Trends
Being located in Erdenheim, just outside the city limits, we are frequently asked to appraise properties in northwestern Philadelphia, especially Chestnut Hill, Mount Airy, Roxborough and Manayunk. The other day we received our first question for the Ask PAB! section of the site. It was … [Read More...]
Camden’s Woes
Walt Whitman once called Camden, "A City Invincible". Undeniably, Camden is far from invincible at this point; perhaps, “unprotectable” would be more appropriate. Despite last minute efforts, ongoing negotiations and political wrangling, the fact remains that, Camden, New Jersey, laid off 168 … [Read More...]
Case Studies
Thousands Saved in Property Tax!
Appealing your tax assessment can be very appealing! One homeowner that we worked with this past September found this out first hand. He received a 43% reduction in his overall assessment. How does that translate into actual tax savings, you might ask? Well, in this case the house was … [Read More...]
Potential 32% Reduction!
A property owner in Whitpain Township contacted our office about doing an appraisal of his property for tax assessment appeal. As we do with all of our assessment appeal clients, we ran the public records on the property and searched for any prior MLS data on the house. This gives us a preliminary … [Read More...]
Another Reason to get a Pre-Listing Appraisal
Just the other day, I received a phone call from a Mortgage Broker friend of mine. Yes, appraisers and Mortgage Brokers are still allowed to be friends. He wanted my input on a situation in which one of his former clients found themselves. Let’s call them the Utley’s. (For the privacy of the … [Read More...]
Manayunk, Philadelphia
We've received a number of calls from real estate agents in the Philadelphia market, including Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware and Chester Counties who have been inquiring about our Listing Appraisal Service. Many have asked to see some case studies. We thought it was a great idea and will be posting … [Read More...]
The Lanesborough
Purchase Decision – The Lanesborough, Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia This was an interesting appraisal assignment. We were contacted by a perspective Buyer to help determine whether or not he was going to purchase the condo unit that he was currently renting. The unit was located on one of the … [Read More...]
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