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

Mary Cummins, Real Estate Appraiser, Animal Advocates, Los Angeles, California
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Showing posts with label value. Show all posts
Showing posts with label value. Show all posts

Saturday, February 15, 2025

Homes Destroyed by Palisades Fire Listed for Sale by Mary Cummins



Some properties which were destroyed in the Palisades fire are now listed for sale. Two are now pending. They range in price from $749,000 to $2,950,000. They are selling at around 30-72% of their previous AVM home value. These are list prices. They have not sold. What matters is the final sale prices. Some of these listings may be over priced. I did not figure out the previous home or land values because I don't have the time right now. 

Based on what I've been seeing properties are being listed at about 50% of the previous land value. All of these burned properties need to have the debris and topsoil removed. The foundations will need to be dug up and removed. Toxicity tests must be done on the soil. They will need new soils and geological reports and new building plans. Then they will need to be built. With tariffs construction costs will be significantly higher than they are today. Some supplies may not be available due to shortages. There will be construction labor shortages. All of this is going to take a lot of time. They estimate 12-18 months to clear debris from the lots. This will cause an increase in holding costs by at least two years.

There will probably not be any loans available to purchase the land. Construction loans will be difficult. There may not be fire insurance available which means you must pay all cash. Lenders insist on fire insurance to protect their asset. When the homes are finally rebuilt fire insurance will again be an issue and huge expense. Some of these areas have burned repeatedly. There will be lasting stigma which will negatively affect value for at least five years and probably more. Currently the area is lacking in some supporting facilities and utilities have not been restore. Some roads in the hillside areas will take a while to clear. All of these things negatively affect property values. I predict it will be similar to after the Woolsey fire but more severe because of the larger number of homes destroyed. Five years after Woolsey only 37% of homes rebuilt.

16650 Linda Terrace $2,295,000 72% of AVM home value

Listed 2018 for $2,995,000 

RealAVM $3,200,000

7,493 sf

1309 Palisades $749,000 57% of AVM home value

2012 listed $699,000

RealAVM $1,300,000

136,769 sf

723 Radcliffe $1,695,000 67% of AVM home value

2021 $2,250,000

RealAVM $2,500,000

6,973 sf

1159 Monument $2,950,000 52% of AVM home value

2015 $2,500,000

RealAVM $5,600,000

7,730 sf

674 Palmera $1,499,000 59% of AVM home value

RealAVM $2,500,000

4,567 sf

16008 Miami Way $1,500,000 68% of AVM home value

RealAVM $2,200,000

5,745 sf

14800 Mc Kendree $2,895,000 30% of list price immediately before fire
Pending
2025 listed $9,495,000
7,692 sf
Blog article I wrote about this home and price, value. 
https://mary--cummins.blogspot.com/2025/02/fire-sale-home-destroyed-by-palisades.html

17126 Avenida de la Herradura $999,000
Pending Sold $1,185,000 02/2025
2005 sold $1,541,000
RealAVM $1,000,000 something up with that, ignore
9,932 sf
Blog article I wrote about this home
https://mary--cummins.blogspot.com/2025/02/pending-burned-home-land-sales.html






Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.


Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, 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, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin

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Thursday, February 13, 2025

"Altadena is not for sale!" What's the Alternative? Foreclosure, Bank Sale, Homelessness, Monetary Losses? by Mary Cummins Real Estate Appraiser

altadena, gentrification, mary cummins, eaton fire, land value, insurance, los angeles, california, home, house, value, fires, destroyed, black, latino. Photo of Mary Cummins doing property inspection in front of home burned in 2025 Los Angeles fire.

"Altadena is not for sale!" is the rallying cry from some Altadena residents. Some don't want fire destroyed properties to be sold to developers to rebuild. They fear the neighborhood will change and become "gentrified." What is the alternative? Should properties stay vacant for years? Should homeowners lose their properties to foreclosure and lose all their investment? Some people clearly haven't really thought this through. I personally believe the people yelling this are probably renters and not homeowners. They also don't know the true history of Altadena.

Altadena has been changing for many years. It originally belonged to Native Americans. Spain stole their land through conquest starting around 1492. Mexico then owned the land after the Mexican Revolution in 1820. California later became part of the USA after the Mexican American War in 1848. The original Altadena pioneers were farmers. The area was later turned into home development starting around 1880. 

Some areas of Altadena and the rest of the US had "whites only" covenants. This meant no Blacks, Mexicans, Jews, Indians, Asians ... could buy or own the properties. Starting around 1940 Altadena started to decline as residents moved to newer nicer areas. Around this same time Courts started to uphold the Fourteenth Amendment making deed restrictions unconstitutional and unenforceable. Soon after antidiscrimination, anti-segregation and Fair Housing Acts followed and anyone could live in any community they could afford. This coincided with what was called "white flight" from some older less expensive areas. This is also called "reverse gentrification" which correlated with property decline and property value declines. All types of lower income people moved to this area because it was now more affordable.

Real estate all over the world goes through cycles from growth, stability, decline to revitalization and repeat. Some call the last stage "gentrification" which is now a dirty word in real estate. It's just a real estate cycle when properties in the area are improved and values increase. It has nothing to do with race or culture. From 1940 to 1990 Altadena was still in decline. As home prices increased in surrounding areas people were pushed out of for example more expensive Pasadena into less expensive Altadena. This caused the revitalization stage to begin. Over the last 20 or so years homes and the community have been improved and values have risen. The makeup of Altadena continued to change.

People who make less money have less money and buy and own less expensive homes in less expensive areas. Whites make more money than Blacks, Latinos. The reason is socioeconomic factors and not race. The makeup of Altadena began to change as property values rose. The current census shows the current population is 41% white, 16% black and 28% Latino. Years ago there were more blacks because area was less expensive. Many years ago it was all white. All areas change over time. And to the people spreading the fake conspiracy theory that the Eaton fire was arson to push black people out of Altadena, stop, just stop. Latinos and whites who are the majority also lost their homes.

Property values have been increasing. The median home is now $1.3M. If you bought the median home with average down payment, your mortgage would be $7,200/month. Property taxes would be about $1,400 and insurance $550 for a total of $9,100/month. You'd have to have a gross income of about $30,000 a month to be able to afford that home today. This is why the population has been becoming more white again over time. People buy what they can afford. Blacks and Latinos have been willingly selling their homes to white people for huge profits. The people who complain about home price increases are tenants and not homeowners.

If the median home was worth $1.3M and burned down, you are only left with the land. Land in the area was worth about 70% of the total value before the fire. We have a high land to total value ratio in Southern California. Before the fire that $1.3M home had a land value of $910K. After the fire the land is worth a lot less. The main reason is no bank will finance a loan right now on burned land. There is no fire insurance. That means you'll have to pay all cash. All cash transaction mean a discount of 20% or $728K land value. The land still has to have the debris removed, foundation dug up, top soil removed, toxicity tests on the soil... The utilities also need to be restored to the property and entire area. A lot of the supporting facilities have been destroyed not to mention damage to the streets, signs... This will take 18 months to two years minimum to repair. Time is money because of holding costs. The property will also have stigma for years to come which negatively affects property values.

At this point with clean up costs and all cash purchase only a developer would be able to buy the burned land. They expect a 20% return on investment after all costs and fees. Building homes is a job just like a police officer or teacher has a job that pays wages. This means the land is now worth $546,000. That's about what the recent burned lot in Altadena just sold for. The ex homeowner can sell their property, pay off their mortgage and either rent for a while or buy a new less expensive home, condo.

If the owner of a burned home has a mortgage, they still must pay the monthly mortgage and property tax even if the home burned down. Property tax is .0125% of assessed home value per year. People can have it reassessed after the fire if it burned down. If the homeowner had fire insurance, they could use that money to pay off the mortgage or build a new home. Most fire insurance policies don't give you enough money to build a new home. The depreciated value of the median home before the fire was maximum $350K. Median home size in Altadena was 1,721 sf. Insurance companies generally give you about $100 to $200/sf in Altadena for your home or $172,100 to $344,200. New homes cost more than that to build. I'd say it's about $250/sf today and up to $400sf if you're on a slope or want very good quality. That's $430K to $688K to build a new home. That could be more than double what insurance will give you. Unless you've got a ton of cash sitting around you can't afford to build a new home. You also have to pay for a place to live for two to three years in the meantime besides paying your old mortgage and property tax. No one can afford that. Most can't even afford that in the Palisades fire area.

This is why most homeowners of burned properties are in a very tough position. Unless you have a ton of cash you can't afford to rebuild your home. If you had no fire insurance, you're in an even worse position. I'm sure all of those without fire insurance didn't have it because they couldn't afford it. They at least didn't have mortgages. If you have a mortgage, you must have fire insurance to protect the lender. Generally the fire insurance money is used to pay off the mortgage to the lender. That's why lenders force people to have fire insurance, to cover the bank's investment.

This brings us back to "Altadena is not for sale!" Why the hell not? Do you expect the homeowners to have enough money to pay for their old mortgage, property tax, rent for two to three years and the cost to build a new home? Most in the area can't afford that. This is not a very affluent area based on income. Only developers can afford to buy the land today. The only alternative would be foreclosure by the bank. The bank would then sell it to a developer. Then the homeowner could lose everything. If the homeowner had no loan, the lot would just sit vacant bringing down property values in the neighborhood. The homeowner still has no home in which to live and must pay property tax.

I believe the only people yelling "Altadena is not for sale!" are renters or clueless idiots who don't give a shit about the homeowners. They probably only care that they no longer have a cheap place to live and must pay more or live elsewhere. Maybe some were just living for free with grandma who bought the home many years ago when it was far less expensive. Anyone who cares about the homeowners will tell them to do whatever they want with their own home to protect their investment and money. A lot of the people who lost their homes were older and have no desire to go through three years of construction and stress. Let the homeowners do what is best for them.

Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.


Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, 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, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin

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Monday, February 10, 2025

Pending Burned Home Land Sales Palisades $999,000 by Mary Cummins Real Estate Appraiser


UPDATE: Just sold $1,185,000 53% of Zillow AVM value or about 79% of pre fire land value. Another pending sale in the Palisades at 17126 Avenida de la Herradura. Zillow said it was worth $2.2M. It was just listed at $999,000 which is less than half. If it were worth $2.2M, land is about 60-70% total value in this area or $1,500,000. This means it was listed at 66% of land value or 34% reduction of just land value. This makes sense but let's first see if it closes at $999K. Anyone selling today should expect 20% reduction in price for all cash sale. No one can get a loan in this area today. There are also costs to fully demolish and remove debris. It will take maybe 12-18 months to get utilities, do soil toxicity tests and start to get permit approvals. There are no utilities to the area at the moment. Only developers can afford to buy these properties. They need to see 20% profit after all expenses including holding costs. Whoever eventually buys the finished home may have issues getting fire insurance and a mortgage. I'll be doing statistics on pre post fire values for Palisades and maybe Altadena. 

From the current MLS ad. "This piece of land, located in the highly sought-after Palisades Highlands area, offers a rare opportunity to create your dream property. While the land has been impacted by the recent Palisades fire, it presents a blank canvas for visionary buyers ready to reimagine its potential. Seller is looking for serious offers only so they can move on with their lives. With its unparalleled location and proximity to natural beauty, this property is ideal for those with the foresight to invest in and restore a prized piece of Los Angeles real estate. Don't miss the chance to bring new life to this remarkable location. Serious inquiries only, please."

Previous listing from 2005


Zillow chart. It's meaningless but fun to look at. Zestimate uses old asking list price as determinations of value. Doesn't matter if it doesn't sell at that price. It uses it as a base and adds appreciation to that value. That's where Zillow got $2.2M. It could have been worth more. The Zestimate is down now because of the new list price not because Zillow changed the value or algorithm. 




Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.


Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, 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, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin

DISCLAIMER: https://mary--cummins.blogspot.com/p/disclaimer-privacy-policy-for-blogs-by.html

Monday, October 28, 2024

Appraising Homes with Solar Power Systems Class AjO by Mary Cummins


I just took the Solar PV: Technology and Valuation class offered for free by AjO Classes and sponsored by CA IOUs (California's Electric Investor Owned Utilities). It was very interesting and I learned a lot. They of course explained everything we should know about inspecting and appraising the value of a solar power systems. Then they went into using the three different approaches to value, i.e. sales comparison, cost and income. 

You need a bit of data in order to determine the value. That data isn't always readily available for the comp properties. You can use cost or income approach if there's isn't enough market data in your area. If you give most weight to sales comparison approach, cost and income data are only supportive so ...

In order to calculate the value of a solar power system (not solar thermal for heating water) you need to know if it's owned versus leased, power of the system size in kWh and age. Assume 25 year life. Leased systems add no value. You'll need to collect data such as contract with power size, original price, current price of similar new system and maybe power rates. There are free online calculators available. 

I'm pretty sure the solar people got together to try to help educate the agents and appraisers about the value of solar systems in home values. Most don't mention it or include data or value. This upsets sellers and solar companies. They want people to see the value in the systems. I was always taught to do regression analysis to see if there is a market reaction. Issue again is sufficient data. 

A few takeaways. You need a bit of data to appraise the value of a solar system. You need to know power, age of solar system of comps. As rates continue to rise the value of solar systems will increase. The cost of new solar systems has come down dramatically. If you depreciate an older system, it will probably be higher than buying new. Use the lower of the two values. People buy homes with solar systems for more than just energy cost savings. I highly recommend the class. 

"Appraisers and Realtors will advance their credibility and competency to better serve their clients with solar-powered homes.

Newly constructed homes have been required to have solar as of 2020 and existing home installations remain on an ongoing upward trend.

How much value does solar add?

What is the most essential number we need related to valuation?

While saving money is the primary motive for homeowners to invest in solar, CA building codes and energy policies are key market drivers as goals prioritize decarbonization; all-electric buildings powered by solar.

Attendees will be better equipped to represent solar assets accurately in sales, competently determine value, and be credible guides for buyers and sellers.

Course Highlights

The first question to ask about solar systems

The most important number to obtain related to valuation

How to determine value of solar PV: 3 appraisal approaches

Key points to include in listings and appraisal reports

How utility rates impact purchasing decisions and value

Components of solar systems and what to look for during inspections

Context: CA energy policy

Resilience: Solar plus storage to leverage TOU rates and power through extreme events

Future influencers: Evolving challenges in managing our power grid

Access to free online tools to inform and improve professionalism

Learning Objectives

Answer essential questions regarding the valuation of a solar system

Indentify components of solar systems

Be aware of variations in utility rates and their impact on value

Understand motives and market influencers of homeowner decisions

Determine the value of solar PV systems: 3 appraisal approaches

Accurately represent solar in listings including vital points to inform value

Stakeholder’s shared pool of knowledge to support fair valuations

Target Audience:

Real estate appraisers

Agents

Lenders

Related associates

Learning Level: Intermediate

*Course is designed for those familiar with valuation principles

Continuing Education Credits: 3 hours continuing ed. BREA, DRE, BOE "

Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.


Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, 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, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin

DISCLAIMER: https://mary--cummins.blogspot.com/p/disclaimer-privacy-policy-for-blogs-by.html

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Why Appraisal Values May Vary On The Same Property by Mary Cummins Real Estate Appraiser

mary cummins, real estate appraiser, appraiser, appraisal, los angeles, california, value, vary, different, higher, lower, lender, borrower, home, house

Why Do Some Appraisal Values Vary from Others on the Same Property? 

Lenders will order an appraisal so a borrower can get a home loan either for purchase or refinance. Sometimes the borrower doesn't receive the loan they want because of  credit, rates, terms or appraisal value. If they reapply for a loan, the second appraisal value is sometimes different than the first. 

There are many reasons why two appraisals may have different values for the same property. The differences could be due to changes in the market time or the property. In an appreciating market the second appraisal is generally higher because of the passage of time. The second appraisal could also be higher if the home has been improved. It's also possible that more similar homes have sold more recently for a different value than the previous sales used in the previous appraisal. This can be due to the seasonality of the real estate market and other factors. These different values don't automatically mean the first or second appraisal was wrong. Both values could be different and correct. Sometimes of course there are mistakes caused by incompetence. 

1. Home Price Appreciation/Depreciation in the Area

A real estate value is a snapshot in time. Recently we've been in an appreciating market.  Home prices have risen in value sometimes by 15% or more per year. If you appraise a say $100,000 property in January, it's worth $115,000 by the end of the year if appreciation for that area is 15%. The value didn't go up because you removed all photos from your home. It's appreciation. The same can happen with depreciation when values go down.

Some areas are going through the real estate cycle of revitalization which some call "gentrification."  Revitalization happens when people are pushed out of more expensive areas because of affordability into nearby areas which sell for less. This investment in the area and homes causes the area to improve and home prices to rise faster than surrounding areas. Many homes are then fully renovated by the newer owners and sell for much more than unrenovated original older homes. Recently some revitalizing areas have increased in value by 30% per year overall. This could mean an appraisal in December is 30% higher than one in January and both could be accurate market value for that time. 

2. Modifications to the Home

Sometimes after people are denied a loan for whatever reason they will improve the home. If you remodel a kitchen, baths, add air conditioning, a pool, a bedroom or add size to the home, the value after the modifications will be higher. If you gut part of your house to remodel it but don't finish, the value could go down. If you just remove personal photos, you won't change the value.

3. Recent Values of Similar Sold Homes

Sometimes some areas have few recent sales or listings of similar properties. People don't want to sell their home because of their low current mortgage rate like today's market. Sometimes there isn't much interest in an area because there is less demand because of issues which negatively affect the value. That could be a new freeway going right next to homes, loss of a major sports team, loss of major business and related jobs... Sometimes unique properties which are larger than the average home, built on a major road,  have odd improvements ... will take much longer to sell and rarely sell. Sometimes people prefer to wait for the selling season to sell to get higher prices. This means only mandatory sales of average homes take place such as death of owner, foreclosure or owner is desperate for money. These homes tend to be in fairer condition than most homes so they will sell for less. This drags down value.

Appraisers must use homes which sold within about the last three to six months within about a mile distance from the subject property in the same neighborhood. Appraisers are limited by the highest recent unadjusted sale of similar homes in the neighborhood. While appraisers can use older sold comparables and time adjust, some lenders still limit value to most recent closed comp. If the only homes that have sold recently are all major fixers, have fewer bedrooms, are not upgraded, don't have pools, are not right on the lake with a dock like the subject, this could limit the maximum value. The AMC, Lender set these limits. The appraiser must abides by them or the AMC, reviewer will send the appraisal back and demand comment and changes. In these situations lenders and appraisers suggest waiting for a similar higher priced property to close escrow before reappraising.

Quick example. The only homes that sold in the slow season in November, December, January were fixers in fair condition, no upgrades, no views, no pool and near a busy road. They sold for $100,000. The subject is in great condition, with many new upgrades, view of the ocean, pool and on a private cul-de-sac. It's clearly worth more than the recently sold total fixers maybe $150,000. Some lenders may limit the maximum valuation to the maximum sales price of similar sized homes recently sold in the same neighborhood, $100,000. If the borrower waits to refinance until April, May, June, there will probably be similar upgraded homes sold because more homes sell at this time of year. The value could be $150,000 based on sales in the $150,000 range. 

This brings us to the seasonality of real estate sales. Sometimes there are more homes sales during certain times of the year. Spring and early summer have more home sales as people prefer to sell, buy, move after school lets out before summer vacation. Sales volume is also related to weather. There are fewer sales in the winter where it snows or during heavy storms. Seasonality varies by area. This can cause there to be few similar sales during certain months of the year. The slowest months volume wise are November, December and January. The busiest are April, May and June. If you appraise your home for a refinance in November, there will probably be fewer sales to use as comps. It's also possible there are a higher percentage of stress sales during the slower months. Many stress sales are in fairer condition especially foreclosure and estate sales so they may sell for less which can negatively affect value. This article states seasonality can cause a 10% difference in price, value. There is more demand and buyers bidding against each other during the busy season which drives up prices. Some advise buying in the winter and selling in the summer for this reason. Besides seasonal cycles there are other cycles which affect sales volume and price such as economic cycles, interest rates, Covid pandemic, war, politics... This is reflected in the market by sales prices. The appraiser does not consider these things in the final valuation.

For this reason it's generally a good idea to see what similar homes have recently actually sold for in your area before applying for a loan to see if it makes sense. You will get a better rate, terms the lower the loan to value ratio so a borrower wants a higher appraisal value. While we include listed properties in the appraisal, sold properties are what matter. We generally search homes +/-15% difference in size per square foot, similar bed/bath count, similar amenities/upgrades/condition, within a mile distance from subject which sold within last three to six months. We then choose the most similar recent comparables. Lenders generally require three closed sales within three months. Those sales will limit the upper level of value.

4. Incompetence

Appraising homes can be a difficult complex process especially with unique homes in changing areas and markets. Many lenders use robot Automated Valuation Methods (AVMs) for cookie cutter homes. Cookie cutter homes are newer median priced average sized homes in average condition in a homogeneous area. If your home is older, larger than average for area, improved above/below most homes in the area, has a view, issues or is on the edge of two different areas, you will need a full appraisal. 

The appraiser must choose similar comps in the same neighborhood in order to get an accurate value. Sometimes there are no recent similar comps. The appraiser will have to use older similar comps instead of expanding the comp search into a totally different area. Those comps will have to be accurately adjusted for time and other differences. If the appraiser does not select similar comps, the resultant value will be inaccurate. That would be incompetence. Appropriate comp selection is vital.

One example of this is a case in Marin, California. The first appraisal was $989,000 February 2020. The second appraisal was $1,482,500 March 2020. The subject was larger than average for the area built with telephone poles on a very steep lot near reclaimed swamp land. There were few recent local sales because there was little demand in the area. The first appraiser used local sales. The second appraiser widened the search into an area with larger high quality homes that sell for almost twice as much in Mill Valley. 

The homeowners sued the first appraiser for "racial discrimination" just because they didn't like the first appraiser's lower value. The borrower wants a higher value because the higher the value, the better the terms and lower the rate. The first appraiser didn't do anything racist or discriminatory. The first value was similar to the robot values like Corelogic, RedFn... Robots can't be racist or discriminate. The second appraisal was actually the wrong value because they used the wrong comps. Borrowers never sue when the appraisal value is high even when it's wrong. If it's lower than what they'd like, they automatically assume bias or incompetence. Clearly it was the second appraiser who was biased and incompetent. Some appraisers fear complaints and want to please the lender, borrower so they tend to appraise on the higher side. I'd bet most appraisers over appraise than under. There is no motivation for an appraiser to appraise lower than market value. They have nothing to gain and everything to lose.

Here is one example which incorporates some of the factors which may cause two appraisals to be different. 

Appraisal One: Home appraised January 1 in area where it snows. It's in good condition, upgraded with two garages and a view. Home sales volume is low. The only recent sales were fixers with no garages or views selling for $100,000. Appraiser uses some old similar sales and time adjusts. Home appraises for $100,000. Appraiser notes that subject is in better condition with garages and a view. Appraiser explains the current market and lack of similar sales. Many appraisers would state home would appraise for more when/if similar homes close escrow. Appraisers generally state their limitations which can be the highest closed recent sale.

Appraisal Two: Home appraised June 1 when the weather is 75 degrees. Owner has since added a second bathroom. There are now some similar sales in the same condition with the same view. A new sports arena just announced it will break ground bringing a lot of new business and jobs to the area. The area has appreciated by 10% in six months for this reason. The home is now slightly larger and worth more. Similar homes now sell for $150,000. Home appraises for $150,000. The value of second appraisal is 50% higher than first. The first appraiser was not incompetent. Both appraisals were correct at the time they were made. This is why one must carefully read appraisal reports and consider all the factors that affect value.

Different appraisals done at different times can have different values and still be correct. There are many legitimate reasons for appraisals to vary in value by even 30% in a quickly changing market. It's natural for people to be psychologically attached to their home and assume it's the best in the area when that may not be true. Some homeowners receive agent postcards in the mail or see Zillow ads listing the highest sold and listed homes in their area. Agents, Zillow do this to attract sellers with potential high prices so they can get a listing and make money. Some borrowers assume their home which is in inferior condition and location is worth the same amount as those high priced listings when it's not. These false expectations cause people to feel they've been low-balled, cheated or discriminated against when they necessarily haven't. People who have been discriminated against for their entire life are more likely to assume discrimination. It's important to know your home and try to understand local value unbiasedly. It's also important to understand appraisal value when reading an appraisal report of your home.


Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.


Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, 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, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin

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Monday, February 20, 2023

Rebuttal to Marcia Fudge's Misleading 2022 CNN Interview by Mary Cummins Real Estate Appraiser

Marica Fudge, HUD, Laura Coates, CNN, interview,Mary Cummins real estate appraiser, bias, discrimination, racism,white, black, Latino, home value, 


Marcia Fudge of the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) was on CNN August 22, 2022 with Laura Coates discussing alleged appraisal bias. "Housing and Urban Development Sec. Marcia Fudge says her department is examining the process in which home appraisers collect data, which she says is systemically biased against people of color." "HUD Secretary On Battle Against Racism In Real Estate."

Here is a link to the show:   https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2022/08/22/hud-sec-fudge-racism-in-home-appraisal-process-coates-intv-ctn-vpx.cnn

Here is a link to the transcript: https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/se/date/2022-08-22/segment/01

Marcia Fudge continues to promote the false narrative of the alleged "racist appraiser" "devaluing black owned homes." Marcia Fudge has the facts and independent research yet actively intentionally promotes the false narrative to promote her own agenda. Fudge's agenda is to get media attention for herself and more money for her department. Fudge and politicians have created this problem so they can state they alone can fix it. In fact based on what Fudge said in the interview the problem has already been fixed just by doing the same thing they've done for years.

The real issue is the income gap. White owned homes are valued more than black, Latino owned homes because of the income gap. Whites make more money than blacks, Latinos. The more money you make, the more money you have. The more money you have, the more expensive home you can buy and own. The more expensive home you have, the more generational wealth is created.  If you want to fix the home value gap, fix the income gap. Fudge won't admit to that because then the problem is not in the jurisdiction of her department HUD and she won't get more money.

Below are some very misleading quotes by Marcia Fudge.

"Because what we know is that it used to be that these things happen only in redlined
communities. But now it is pervasive, it is happening everywhere. And we determined that part of the problem was how appraisers are trained, who was in the appraisal industry, and how they are governed. And so, what we did, in March, was to present a report that showed how deeply, this whole bias situation, is across this country. It is systemic, and it is intentional to some degree."

Marcia Fudge doesn't understand redlining. Here's an article I wrote about it. Those risk maps were made by her own government agency HUD FHA and no longer exist. Government made risk maps were a way to determine loan risk. They included many factors. We still use all of these factors except we don't use race or country of origin. If you took race and country of origin out of the old maps, they were 100% as effective in determining risk. Obviously race and nation of origin have nothing to do with loan risk. Correlation is not causation. Not all maps even included those factors. 

"That's part of the problem, Laura, it's the data. So, they collect data, and the data is not what it should be. They then use the data, in a way that it should not be used. And so, they come up with these biased appraisals. But as well, when you look at an industry, that is more than 95 percent White, you find that people of color, are treated differently, because there is an inherent bias with a lot of them. And because they collect the data, the data is not good data."

Appraisers don't collect data. The data is home sale prices. It's just data. HUD collects this data. Zillow has and uses the same data. MLS, Title collect data. Appraisers use the public data according to the law and well established, accepted economic theory. HUD is one of the government agencies which told appraisers what data to use and how to use it. Appraisers are doing what HUD told us to do.

95% of all appraisers aren't white. I've gone over the misleading statistics in previous articles. Almost the same amount of appraisers are white as real estate agents. If most agents are white, does that mean they are also all racists? Most people in the US are white. Does that mean every white person is racist? Of course not. 

"If those homes are appraised the way that they should be Laura, then we look at being able to pass down, significantly, more resources, and more wealth, to generations that follow." "And if we are
constantly being discriminated against - and that is really what this is. We can call it bias, if you want. But it is systemic racism, and it is built within most federal agencies, and those agencies that we oversee." 

This is the result of the income gap and not appraisers. Here is AEI's response to the PAVE Task Force. Fudge knows this. She has the facts, data and research. If she truly believes this, she should be fired because she's incompetent. Fudge is just lying to the public. 

"So, we're tackling it. We are now advising first-time homebuyers, on their rights, if they get low appraisals. We are doing it to people, who sell properties. We are going to train all of the appraisers through fair housing and lending laws. We're going to make sure that the data is collected properly. And we're going to make sure that the right people have the data."

Fudge's solution is to do what we've already been doing for years. Fudge created a "horrible" problem then instantly fixed it by doing nothing. All these things have already been done years before she was the head of HUD. This proves she knows the problem doesn't really exist. She hasn't made any real changes and now it's "fixed."

Marcia Fudge stated that her own home is worth less than white owned homes down the street because she is black. This is of course false. I did a valuation of her much older home on a busy highway. It's worth less than the homes up the street because they are new luxury homes off of the highway. If Fudge doesn't understand this, she doesn't understand the basics of home appraisal and should resign as head of HUD. She states this falsehood for effect every time she speaks. 

Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 40 years of experience.


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Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Appraisal Subcommittee Hearing on Appraisal Bias January 24, 2023, notes by Mary Cummins

Appraisal Subcommittee Public Hearing on Appraisal Bias, January 24, 2023, marcia fudge, mary cummins, asc, hud, real estate appraiser, pave taskforce, cfwb, jim park, race, racial bias, discrimination, black, brown, white, value, neighborhood, appraisal, valuation
Appraisal Subcommittee Public Hearing on Appraisal Bias, January 24, 2023, marcia fudge, mary cummins, asc, hud, real estate appraiser, pave taskforce, cfwb, jim park, race, racial bias, discrimination, black, brown, white, value, neighborhood, appraisal, valuation

https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/events/appraisal-subcommittee-hearing-on-appraisal-bias/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW8ADw9vOSc

Appraisal Subcommittee Hearing Meeting about Appraisal Bias in Residential Real Estate Market ASC notes, comments by Mary Cummins. Part of the meeting was on C-SPAN 2.

Time: 2:10:35

“Streamed live on Jan 24, 2023. Join the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) for a hearing about appraisal bias. Invited witnesses representing key stakeholder groups will share their views with the ASC during the hearing.”

Official information and files.

The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) held a hearing about appraisal bias.

"This first-ever ASC hearing was led by Deputy Director Martinez and ASC Executive Director Jim Park. HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, and FHFA Director Sandra Thompson also participated in the hearing. Panel witnesses included:

Dr. Junia Howell, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois Chicago; Witness Testimony. It'd be better to read her testimony because she was extremely nervous, waving her arms around wildly, misspeaking and acting agitated. Most upsetting and more importantly she stated some totally false and ignorant things. She said the sales comparison approach was developed in the 1930s by whites in the US government to intentionally value white owned property higher than POC owned property. She doesn't even realize that most living in areas which were, are primarily POC especially back then were, are renters and not owners. There are also poor white areas in the US. How does she explain that? The sales comparison approach to value is the main method used to value all assets all over the world since the beginning of time. She said the government should basically give more money to her to do more deeply flawed "research." It appears that all speakers had to swear to the host of the meeting that they will only agree with the government's incorrect and preconceived ideas on the issue of the alleged "appraisal" and wealth gap. She's so ignorant she doesn't realize it's caused by the income gap and not appraisals. Lots of independent research out there to prove this. People buy homes they can afford. People who make less money but less expensive homes.

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_appraisal-hearing_junia-howell-testimony_2023-01-24.pdf

Paul Austin and Tenisha Tate-Austin, homeowners from Marin, California; Witness Testimony 

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_appraisal-hearing_paul-austin-and-tenisha-tate-austin-testimony_2023-01-24.pdf

Michael Fratantoni, Senior Vice President of Research and Technology and Chief Economist, the Mortgage Bankers Association; Witness Testimony 

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_appraisal-hearing_michael-fratantoni-testimony_2023-01-24_Tw7XwtE.pdf

Craig Steinley, President, the Appraisal Institute; Witness Testimony 

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_appraisal-hearing_craig-steinley-testimony_2023-01-24.pdf

More information about the Appraisal Subcommittee can be found here" 

MEETING START

Time: 6:29 Introduction by Zixta Martinez Chair of Board of ASC and CFPB. Jim Park will talk about ASC. We’ll hear from a panel of witnesses, a home owner, lender, appraiser and academic. She introduced Marcia Fudge head of HUD.

Time: 9:28 Honorable Marcia L Fudge of HUD and PAVE. I'm only going almost word for word what Fudge said because it's so important. Fudge makes her own personal bias very clear in what she said and the falsehoods she stated.

Fudge said “good morning” and got a mild response. She basically responded she didn’t like the mild response and again said “GOOD MORNING!” and everyone then responded with “GOOD MORNING!” It set the tone.

Since day one the Biden Harris administration has worked to root out bias in the appraisal system. The work is critical to advance racial equity. It’s important to me as secretary of HUD and as a black woman. I know first hand what it’s like to be told that your home is worth less than the house down the street because of the color of your skin. It’s heartbreaking to hear the stories of black and brown families who feel forced to remove family mementos and photos in hopes of receiving a fair and accurate valuation. I do not intend to do that!

Fair Housing Act of 1968 was to end housing segregation. Owning a home should provide a path to the American dream. Instead this country does not see us as equitable. June 1, 2021 100 years after Tulsa Race massacre Biden and Harris established PAVE task force a first of its kind initiative to root out racial discrimination in the home buying process so families of all backgrounds and neighborhoods can have a better chance at building generational wealth. Less than a year after PAVE was established we delivered an action plan which constitutes set of reforms to advance racial equity in the home appraisal process. We want to cultivate a well trained and diverse work force, to make sure technology doesn’t perpetuate bias. HUD made $28M available to fund testing, education, and outreach to communities on appraisal bias. Next week we will start a three part webinar on training for appraisers and housing professionals on how to identify bias and protect homes. We, (pointing to herself), know how to identify it as we see it every day. We are giving an avenue for FHA loan seekers, if they believe their appraisal was skewed by racial bias. You can make comments on our drafting table platform. Please, make comments. 

I’m going to say things not in my script because I live this every day. I live in a black community by choice, BY CHOICE! I want kids in my neighborhood to get same schools as properties next to me. You do that by property tax even though I think it’s unconstitutional, that we fund schools by property tax. I want same police, fire protection but you can’t do it if my house is valued at $50,000 less than the house next to me. Two doors from me there is a neighborhood that is all white. My house is bigger, my lot is bigger, my house is nicer (laughter). That (other) house is valued more than mine. This is not the America that we should be living in, in the year 2023. It is a travesty, outrageous and we must change it. I’m hopeful the ASC will do what is right for the American people.15:44.

Mary Cummins comments. Homes are not valued differently because of the color of the skin of the owner, borrower or occupants. It's a mathematical formula based on most recent similar sales in the same neighborhood. Appraisers don't know the color of skin of homeowners, borrowers, tenants, buyers, sellers. We don't see the borrower, buyer and definitely don't know who owns properties in the area we use as comparable sales. We don't look at census tracts. We don't know race or color. It's possible all the owners of the homes we used as comp sales for a property owned by a black person were white. That would mean Fudge's false narrative holds no water. 

Fudge states she wants home values and their property taxes to increase. Many poor people would be forced to sell their property and move if property taxes were increased to the level of newer more luxury expensive neighboring properties.They wouldn't even be able to sell their property for the higher non market value. That would be beyond unfair and cruel.

All real estate agents tell all home owners of every color to remove personal articles such as photos, collectibles and other items from their home.It shows the home bigger and better. Buyers don't want to see any homeowner in the home. They want to envision themselves in a blank slate of a home. It's not about race.

HUDs PAVE report was late. It was due in six months. Fudge acts like she finished it early in less than a year. Nope. Late. 

Appraisal appeal, reconsideration of values have ALWAYS been available to borrowers forever. They can appeal based on any reason. They have done this. This is not about bias. Research by AEI based on government loan documents proved there is no effect of race on home value. They used the government's own data to show this. AEI presented this to the government in the meeting about the PAVE task force. 

AVMs Automatic Valuation Methods do not consider race or color of homeowner or borrower. It's a math formula, technology computed by robots. No human is involved. The math formula is not based on race or color. It's based on location, size, age. It does not know condition, view, upgrades, amenities, true size, additions, lot type, location in neighborhood... AVMs value homes in poor condition higher than market. It values upgraded homes with views lower than market. AVMs aren't accurate. They are BIASED against everyone.

Fudge brought up her home value previously. She said her home is worth less BECAUSE SHE IS BLACK. I included it in a past article with address and attributes. I included a valuation of her home and of the NEW, LUXURY homes up, across the street from her. It's a private development of new luxury homes tucked away off the main street. I have no idea if the homeowners are all white. I doubt Fudge does either. Has she visited all of them personally? They're new so they're not in the census report. There is a reason why those homes are worth more. They're new, luxury, in a new development, with a clubhouse, off the main street... Not all homes of the same size in the same county are worth the same. An old run down home in South LA is worth less than a new one of the same size in Beverly Hills. If Fudge doesn't know this, she must resign because she's unqualified. I know she knows this and is just lying for effect. She's a politician working for politicians selling lies for votes, money and promotions.

The real reason why homes owned by whites are worth more than homes owned by black, brown people is the income gap. People who make more money have more money, more generational wealth and can buy and own more expensive homes. THIS IS THE REAL ISSUE! The government needs to fix the income gap then the wealth gap would solve itself. Men also make more than women. Blaming appraisers will never fix the real issue. The government can't fix the problem (if there even is one) until they admit the real cause of the problem. The first step Scientific Method to solving problems is to determine the actual problem.They clearly don't want to fix the real problem. That means the government doesn't really care about POC or the poor. They need to stop pretending like they do care when they clearly don't. You can yell at appraisers all the live long day and that won't solve the problem. 

I'll post notes from rest of the meeting letter. I will also be sending in a comment. I see some of the speakers are the Austins from California. I have covered their case since the beginning. In their linked statement they said they wanted the appraiser to use comps from the "white area" instead of their immediate neighborhood which they said is a "black area." Who are the racists here? 

There were five witnesses who basically read word for word their submitted statements linked above except AI Craig Steinley. He omitted a large portion of his written statement. I think he omitted it because he didn't want questions and to get under five minutes. While other speakers said we need to get rid of the "racist" government mandated sales comparison approach AI's statement said they are adamantly opposed to that. Their statement says the approach is based on valid and accurate economic principles which it is. That is how all assets in the world have been valued forever because it is based on supply and demand between buyer and seller. I'll do a short summary in a few minutes anyway. 

After that ASC members were allowed to ask ten minutes worth of questions each.

Email after the meeting

“Yesterday the Appraisal Subcommittee held its first ever Hearing on Appraisal Bias, hosted at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau headquarters in Washington D.C. 

The event opened with remarks by U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. ASC’s Executive Director James Park spoke on the agency’s role in the appraisal regulatory landscape. 

Attendees, both in person and on the livestream, heard testimony from Dr. Junia Howell, University of Illinois-Chicago, homeowners Paul Austin and Tenisha-Tate Austin, Michael Fratantoni, Chief Economist, Senior Vice President, Research and Industry Technology, Mortgage Bankers Association, and Craig Steinley, President of the Appraisal Institute.

Now ASC wants to hear from you! You are encouraged to provide a comment on your perspective on or experience with appraisal bias; comments can be submitted to AppraisalBiasHearing@asc.gov until February 8, 2023.”

Four of the five witness speakers, Appraisal Subcommittee Public Hearing on Appraisal Bias, January 24, 2023, marcia fudge, mary cummins, asc, hud, real estate appraiser, pave taskforce, cfwb, jim park, race, racial bias, discrimination, black, brown, white, value, neighborhood, appraisal, valuation

Witness Dr Junia Howell, Appraisal Subcommittee Public Hearing on Appraisal Bias, January 24, 2023, marcia fudge, mary cummins, asc, hud, real estate appraiser, pave taskforce, cfwb, jim park, race, racial bias, discrimination, black, brown, white, value, neighborhood, appraisal, valuation

Tenisha Tate Austin, Paul Austin, Appraisal Subcommittee Public Hearing on Appraisal Bias, January 24, 2023, marcia fudge, mary cummins, asc, hud, real estate appraiser, pave taskforce, cfwb, jim park, race, racial bias, discrimination, black, brown, white, value, neighborhood, appraisal, valuation

ASC members, Appraisal Subcommittee Public Hearing on Appraisal Bias, January 24, 2023, marcia fudge, mary cummins, asc, hud, real estate appraiser, pave taskforce, cfwb, jim park, race, racial bias, discrimination, black, brown, white, value, neighborhood, appraisal, valuation



Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.


Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, 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, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin DISCLAIMER: https://mary--cummins.blogspot.com/p/disclaimer-privacy-policy-for-blogs-by.html

Monday, July 11, 2022

Diminution of Value in Real Estate Appraisal and Valuation by Mary Cummins Real Estate Appraier Expert Witness

diminution of value, diminution in value, value, real estate appraisal, mary cummins, real estate appraiser, valuation, calculation, los angeles, california, expert witness, black's law library, property value, expert witness, litigation

Diminution of value in real estate appraisal refers to the reduction in the market worth or perceived value of a property due to various factors. Black's Law Dictionary definition: Rule of damages which provides the difference between “before” and “after” values of property, which has been damaged or taken. These factors can be external (outside the property) or internal (related directly to the property itself). Here are some common examples:

External Factors:

Neighborhood Decline: If the neighborhood experiences an increase in crime rates, deterioration of infrastructure, or a decline in nearby amenities like schools or parks, the property's value may decrease.

Environmental Changes: Events such as the construction of a landfill nearby, contamination of groundwater, or the installation of high-voltage power lines can negatively impact property values.

Economic Conditions: Economic downturns can affect property values, leading to diminished demand or lower prices in the area.

Changes in Zoning: If zoning regulations change, affecting how nearby properties can be used (e.g., from residential to commercial), it can impact the value of neighboring properties.

Local development: A new large scale development may be built affecting traffic and access. A new freeway may be contemplated affection pollution, noise, traffic...

Internal Factors:

Structural Issues: Problems such as foundation cracks, roof leaks, or termite damage can decrease a property's value unless repaired.

Outdated Features: Homes with outdated kitchens, bathrooms, or obsolete heating systems may be less attractive to buyers, reducing their market value.

Poor Maintenance: Lack of upkeep, such as overgrown landscaping, peeling paint, or broken fixtures, can make a property less appealing and lower its value.

Loss of portion of property or loss of use of portion of property: A neighbor's wall or building could be trespassing upon the subject property limiting access, use and enjoyment of the subject property.

Legal and Market Factors:

Legal Encumbrances: Easements, restrictions, or pending legal issues (like ongoing litigation involving the property) can decrease its value.

Market Perception: Negative perceptions about a property (e.g., a notorious event occurring there) can reduce its value beyond physical characteristics alone.

Example Scenario:

Consider a house located near a new freeway under construction. The noise, increased traffic, and potential pollution from the freeway may decrease the property's desirability and, consequently, its market value. This is an example of external diminution of value.

Alternatively, a property with an outdated kitchen and bathroom, which hasn't been renovated in decades, may not attract as many buyers as similar homes in the neighborhood with modern amenities. This represents an internal diminution of value.

In real estate appraisal, identifying and quantifying diminution of value involves evaluating these and other factors to determine the fair market value of the property under current conditions.

The DIV can sometimes be calculated by valuing the property as if whole then valuing the property as affected by the condition then calculating the difference or loss in value. 



Mary Cummins of Cummins Real Estate is a certified residential licensed appraiser in Los Angeles, California. Mary Cummins is licensed by the California Bureau of Real Estate appraisers and has over 35 years of experience.


Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary, Cummins, #marycummins #animaladvocates #losangeles #california #wildlife #wildliferehabilitation #wildliferehabilitator #realestate #realestateappraiser #realestateappraisal #lawsuit real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, certified, single family, condo, condominium, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, fha, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, brea insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, 1073, 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, historical appraisal, facebook, linkedin

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