Mary Cummins, Real Estate Appraiser, Animal Advocates, Los Angeles, California

Mary Cummins, Real Estate Appraiser, Animal Advocates, Los Angeles, California
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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Using Google maps to get rough building floor plans, sketches, dimension - Mary Cummins real estate appraiser appraisal

Google maps building, home footprint, floor plan, measure, mary cummins, real estate, appraiser, los angeles, california

UPDATE: 10/08/2021 I just noticed in Alamode Total they now have "Trace mode" over satellite image maps in the Total Sketch program. This is what I was doing back before 2016 with properties you were not allowed to inspect physically. Some people gave me some shit about using this technique and now software companies are doing the exact same thing. Again, I only use this when I can't physically measure the property in person such as foreclosure where you are not allowed to set foot on the property. Keep in mind not all the Google, Bing, other satellite map images are up to date. Check the map date down on the bottom of the map. There could be new additions or subtractions, i.e. demolition/removal of structures. 




ORIGINAL 03/02/2016: Sometimes you may need a rough estimate of a buildings footprint. Google maps has an easy way to get a rough estimate.

  • Type in the address of the property you are interested in. 
  • Zoom in on the map until the building footprint shows up. This is street view, not satellite. You can do it with satellite. I use both.
  • Right click on the corner of the structure. A drop down menu pops up. Select "measure distance."
  • A black circle shows up at that corner. 
  • Normal click your mouse on the next corner so you can measure that wall distance.
  • The sf of that wall shows up. In this instance it's 23 ft (see below).
  • You can work your way around the building to get a rough estimate of the foot print, floor plan. I find Google maps will show the structure slightly larger than it is. 

Google maps building, home footprint, floor plan, measure, mary cummins, real estate, appraiser, los angeles, california

This is not for appraising homes. It can be used if it's a foreclosure and you're not allowed on the property, you can't physically inspect the property, your client allows it and you properly disclaim it in the report and you include it as a limiting condition and/or assumption i.e. report assumes measurement from Google maps is correct. Be sure to note the date of the map. If someone recently remodeled or added to the property, the map will not be up to date. Some maps are a year or two old so they will not include any recent additions or demolition/removal of additions.

This is good for measuring street widths which you need for commercial appraisals. If you are doing a physical inspection of a property, you need to get out there and measure the street width. This is only for remote desktop appraisals using assumptions.

If you use this on buildings, you will be including depth of the roof overhang/eaves, covered porches, covered patios, breezeways, sheds, carports and garages all of which are not included in gross living area. Average eave is two feet. Eave of an old Craftsman home can be three to four feet for shade. That is on each side including front/back (see photo below). Again, this is just to estimate areas. Do not use this in a regular full appraisal. 




If you look at the satellite view, you should be able to tell if a covered area is a patio, garage, shed, porch... see below. GAR is garage, Pat is patio, ADU is Accessory Dwelling Unit. If you use Google Pro and zoom in 3D at an angle, you can see under the patio, under the porch, the front of the garage to see the garage doors, carport, a front door to the ADU...


***Disclaimer. This is just to estimate areas. Do not use this in a regular full inspection appraisal. I never use this in real estate appraisals. This is just for estimating. 

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.

Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,

Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the
Mary Cummins of Animal Advocates is a wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the California Department of Fish and Game and the USDA. Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.


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