Kevin Slemko AACI of Midtown Appraisal Group
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5 other reasons to get a professional real estate appraisal

(Outside of a sale or purchase) Anyone who's ever bought a piece of property - especially a residential home - involving a mortgage is probably familiar with the appraisal requirement: Very few banks or mortgage financing companies will lend money for home purchase without ensuring that a professional appraisal has been done. They need to know that their investment is reasonable and protected. However, there are several other situations in which appraisals make sense - and can spare you from…...
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Kevin Slemko AACI on how to conduct estate appraisals
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Estate Appraisals: What you need to know

When an estate involves real estate, proper valuation can be crucial It's a common situation: An elderly parent dies, leaving behind a spouse, adult children and young grandchildren. The family home is owned outright, or has a small mortgage, and everyone assumes that the home will be sold and the proceeds divided. Simple, right? After all, there's a straightforward Will and no one's arguing. Except that when there is a surviving spouse, and/or step-children, and the Will turns out to…...
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Appraisal value affected by maximalist design
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Design, style and ‘clutter’: Do they affect appraised value?

The answer is...it depends. As an appraiser, I'm often asked some version of this question: "My house is a mess and I just found out they want to send the appraiser tomorrow. Do you think it'll make a huge difference to the appraised value?" And more recently, in the era of minimalism, I also get asked whether a more 'maximalist' approach to interior design will negatively impact value. The standard, professional answer is, of course: "No, it won't affect value.…...
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Kevin Slemko of Hamilton's Midtown Appraisal Group on how properties are valued
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Appraisal explanations: Lists are not enough

How appraisers look at the components of a property, Part 1 If you've recently bought or sold a home that involved a mortgage or loan, chances are an appraiser has been involved at some point to confirm the property's value. And if you asked your agent or mortgage broker what an appraiser looks at, they probably gave you a list of factors: Location, size, condition, comparable sales, etc. That's correct, as far as it goes. But a list like that…...
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Overview of the home appraisal process

Appraisals 101: A handy graphic

You don't have to be an expert, but you should know the basics. I know what it's like: Whether you're buying or selling your home, especially in the current overheated market, the last thing you have time (or interest) for is a deep dive into real estate appraisals. At the same time, as a vendor or purchaser of property, especially if it's your first one or it involves the fairly large sums of money typical of real estate in southern…...
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unusual homes appraisals
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What happens when there are no comparable sales?

Say what you will about sprawling new subdivisions, they're a residential appraiser's dream. There's nothing easier than putting a value on a house when there have been 4 sales of the exact same model on the street in the past 6 months. But what happens when you're faced with, say, a beautiful 90-year-old home that's been renovated multiple times over the years, has a larger backyard than the newer properties which have sprung up around it - but also a…...
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Kevin Slemko AACI appraiser
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Appraisal delays driving you bonkers?

There are a bunch of reasons why they're happening. If you've been involved in the sale of a residential property in Ontario in the past 3 years - whether as a vendor, purchaser, real estate agent, mortgage broker or lawyer - you know that residential appraisals seem to take longer than they used to. Unfortunately, the current extended timelines for residential appraisals are a result of several different factors, not all of which are easily solved. However, the more you…...
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