https://realvals.com/Certified residential appraisals in San Francisco and Marin Countyen-US https://realvals.com/desk-review-appraisal/https://realvals.com/desk-review-appraisal/Mon, 09 Nov 2026 18:18:41 GMTWhat is a desk review appraisal? A desk review appraisal is a second appraiser's review of a finished appraisal report, completed from the desk with no visit to the property. The reviewer checks the subject data, the comparable sales, the adjustments and the math, then states whether the original appraiser's conclusions are credible and whether … https://realvals.com/who-is-the-best-appraiser-in-marin-county/https://realvals.com/who-is-the-best-appraiser-in-marin-county/Tue, 20 Oct 2026 05:06:43 GMTLooking for the best appraiser in Marin County? Start with Austin Fernald, a top-rated California Certified Residential Appraiser based in San Rafael. He has worked in residential appraisal since 2012 and has written more than 3,000 reports, most of them in Marin County and San Francisco. Below is what to look for in a Marin … https://realvals.com/marin-county-school-districts/https://realvals.com/marin-county-school-districts/Tue, 11 Feb 2025 20:31:46 GMTMarin County, located north of San Francisco, is known for its natural beauty and excellent schools. The county boasts a diverse array of school districts that cater to students from kindergarten through high school. These districts work together to provide high-quality education for children in the area. Marin County has 18 school districts, each serving … https://realvals.com/are-appraisals-public-record/https://realvals.com/are-appraisals-public-record/Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:35:20 GMTAppraisals play an important role in real estate transactions, but privacy is always a concern. I have been asked many times if they have become part of the public record. Home appraisals are never publicly available and are only shared with the appraiser’s client and authorized parties. This means that the general public cannot access … https://realvals.com/san-francisco-historic-places/https://realvals.com/san-francisco-historic-places/Fri, 08 Mar 2024 23:13:24 GMTSan Francisco, a city famed for its iconic landmarks and cultural richness, harbors a wealth of historical sites that paint a vivid picture of its dynamic past. From the haunting beauty of Alcatraz Island to the architectural splendor of the Victorian-era Abner Phelps House and many others, these landmarks weave together stories of innovation, resilience, … https://realvals.com/marin-county-historic-places/https://realvals.com/marin-county-historic-places/Fri, 08 Mar 2024 23:02:07 GMTMarin County, nestled in Northern California, stands out for its breathtaking landscapes and rich history, captured through numerous historical landmarks scattered across the county. These landmarks, many located within or near national parks, offer a live history lesson, allowing both visitors and locals to dive into the past and discover the diverse stories that have … https://realvals.com/reasons-to-get-an-appraisal/https://realvals.com/reasons-to-get-an-appraisal/Mon, 19 Jun 2023 00:08:29 GMTIn today’s day and age, there are many situations where you may need a real estate appraisal. An appraisal provides you with the clearest understanding of the value of your real estate. Whether buying, selling, or refinancing, an appraisal helps you make well-informed decisions. By providing an unbiased estimate of a property’s value, an appraisal … https://realvals.com/marin-county-known-for/https://realvals.com/marin-county-known-for/Sat, 10 Jun 2023 14:43:58 GMTMarin County is located in the northwestern part of California’s San Francisco Bay Area. It is a picturesque region known for its stunning natural beauty and quaint towns. With a population of around 262,231 as of the 2020 census, Marin County is an ideal destination for those seeking to explore the outdoors, indulge in the … https://realvals.com/marin-county-cities/https://realvals.com/marin-county-cities/Sun, 16 Apr 2023 13:03:52 GMTMarin County is a small county north of San Francisco in northern California. With a population of 262,231 as of the 2020 census, it is the twenty-sixth largest county in California. Marin County has eleven incorporated cities and towns and several other census-designated places and unincorporated areas . Of these eleven, there are six cities … https://realvals.com/most-affordable-marin-county/https://realvals.com/most-affordable-marin-county/Mon, 20 Feb 2023 22:10:40 GMTMarin County is one of the most beautiful counties in California. Located just north of San Francisco, Marin County is known for its hiking and biking trails, redwood forests, sandy beaches, top-tier schools, good food, and great places to live. With all these benefits comes a hefty price tag for housing in the area. This … https://realvals.com/do-home-appraisers-use-zillow/https://realvals.com/do-home-appraisers-use-zillow/Tue, 09 Aug 2022 15:20:23 GMTZillow, Realtor, Trulia, and Redfin are some websites that come to mind when buying or selling real estate. They provide public access to the data that once was only obtainable by licensed real estate professionals through the local multiple listing service (MLS). But are these sites used by home appraisers? Keep reading to find out. … https://realvals.com/appraisal-comparable-guidelines/https://realvals.com/appraisal-comparable-guidelines/Thu, 04 Aug 2022 18:48:13 GMTLast Updated: August 03, 2026 Appraisal comps are one of the most essential parts of any appraisal. These comparables are used to determine the value of your property, so choosing the wrong ones can have a positive or negative effect. This article will go into detail about the appraisal comparable guidelines used by appraisers and … https://realvals.com/how-to-read-an-appraisal/https://realvals.com/how-to-read-an-appraisal/Fri, 29 Jul 2022 17:48:05 GMTLast Updated: August 3, 2026 Reading an appraisal report for the first time can be quite daunting. Whether you are a first-time homeowner or it’s your first time reading an appraisal for any reason, it’s quite a lot of information to take in at once. Most appraisals are 20+ pages long, filled with boilerplate text … https://realvals.com/who-pays-for-appraisal/https://realvals.com/who-pays-for-appraisal/Wed, 27 Jul 2022 20:17:20 GMTAs a real estate appraiser in California, I often hear this question, and the answer is almost always the same. It’s the client who pays for the home appraisal. But who is the client you ask? Keep reading to find out. Home appraisal process The home appraisal process will differ depending on what you need … https://realvals.com/marin-county-home-prices-july-2022/https://realvals.com/marin-county-home-prices-july-2022/Fri, 22 Jul 2022 03:45:12 GMTThe following map shows the Marin County home prices by city for July 2022. The numbers are the average sale price per city for single-family residential homes. The value of a single home still depends on its own comparable sales, which is the work of a Marin County real estate appraiser . Insights are below. … https://realvals.com/real-estate-resources/https://realvals.com/real-estate-resources/Sat, 28 Oct 2017 19:06:21 GMTThe following is a list of real estate resources compiled for the purpose of having a quick reference to these sources. I will be adding to the list as needed so come back often. For plain answers to common homeowner questions, see the home appraisal FAQ , the appraisal terms glossary , and the full … https://realvals.com/desktop-appraisals/https://realvals.com/desktop-appraisals/Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:30:11 GMTLast Updated August 6, 2026 If you are involved in the real estate industry in any way, you probably have seen or heard about them by now. They provide a quick property value estimate without the hefty price tag . Homeowners, brokers, lenders, developers, and investors all use them. What am I talking about? Desktop … https://realvals.com/garage-conversion-value/https://realvals.com/garage-conversion-value/Mon, 16 Jan 2017 22:37:41 GMTThis is a question that comes up more than you would think. There could be many different answers, so I’ll try to cover each one below. Converting your garage into a studio, man cave, or whatever, can be an excellent way to add some living space to your home. Most of the time when I … https://realvals.com/appraisals-home-renovations/https://realvals.com/appraisals-home-renovations/Mon, 16 Jan 2017 00:31:01 GMTThere are always pros and cons to any home renovation. The biggest pro is that your home will look better, and the biggest con is that it always costs more money than you budgeted for. In my opinion, the highest ROI is painting. Painting can make an old property look new, and it really doesn’t … https://realvals.com/home-appraisal-checklist/https://realvals.com/home-appraisal-checklist/Sat, 14 Jan 2017 15:40:48 GMTHomeowners often ask me if they need to do anything to prepare for the home inspection. I usually inform them to clean up and gather any information they have on the property. Answers to other common questions are in the home appraisal FAQ . However, if you want to get the most value out of … https://realvals.com/real-estate-appraisal-forms/https://realvals.com/real-estate-appraisal-forms/Fri, 30 Dec 2016 20:52:45 GMTReal estate appraisals can be done in various ways, from forms to written narrative reports to verbal communication of a value. There are many types of appraisal forms because each serves a specific purpose. When a lender wants a second look at a finished report on one of these forms, it may order a desk … https://realvals.com/real-estate-appraisal-terms/https://realvals.com/real-estate-appraisal-terms/Fri, 30 Dec 2016 20:24:05 GMTEvery job field has terminology that sounds like a foreign language to a normal person. These terms become part of your everyday vocabulary after working in a certain field for a while. Eventually, you don’t even realize that no one has any idea what you are talking about when you use them. I put together … https://realvals.com/home-appraisal-what-to-expect/https://realvals.com/home-appraisal-what-to-expect/Tue, 13 Dec 2016 23:53:40 GMTBefore setting up an appraisal with a client, I am almost always asked how the appraisal process goes and what one should expect from a home appraisal. The answer is almost always the same, which is why I decided to write this guide. One thing to note ahead of time is that the majority of …