May 04, 2016
Lee Brand from ASAP was hired to conduct an appraisal on our home for a loan refinance. Prior to taking the first step, I reviewed current market values in my neighborhood, with the help of friends in the realty & appriasal business.
The exact same house as ours, just down my street, was recently bank appraised at $400K. (This home has less upgrades & a non-premium lot). With the collected information in hand, I initiated the refinance process, confident, my home would have enough equity to eliminate PMI.
ASAP appraisal was $75K less then the same home and the appraisal report lacked validity according to "people in the business."
ASAP decided to overlook more comparable sales in the immediate area based on his view that if all "new homes" were used as comparables, the market value would be a reflection of the "new home sale market" and not the existing home sale market. (Mind you my home is 2 years old). ALL recent sales, especially those that are more similar to the subject home, should be considered to accurately value a home to that market area.
ASAP further believes that most buyers dont make the distinction between one builder over the other, but rather existing homes available. There is a big difference between the construction of a Lennar Homes & the builder we chose, M/I Homes. Just ask one of my neighbors who lost his $5000K deposit on his Lennar Home due to shoddy building & Lennar's refusal to make the necessary repairs when he pointed out construction deficiencies to the superintendent.
Lee Brand arrived at our home and refused to sit down with me to discuss my home & the neighborhood. Even my wife commented about his negative attitude & lack of customer service.
My experience with ASAP Appraisal is a lack of competence, in an industry that has no regulation nor accountability to anyone. How two of the exact same homes can be appraised by two different appraisers & have two different market values, is beyond comprehension. Hopefully, the Dodd-Frank Act will soon include oversight to this industry
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