The Seller Should Get a Copy of the Appraisal

The Seller Should Get a Copy of the Appraisal

The buyer pays for the appraisal.

The lender orders the appraisal.

The appraiser performs the appraisal, at which time the listing agent might meet the appraiser.  The appraiser might let the listing agent know if there are any conditions which need to be addressed, but not always, and the appraiser might let the listing agent know if he anticipates a problem meeting the contract value, but not always.

Eventually, the appraiser sends a copy to the lender, who should share it with the buyer, but does not always, until perhaps settlement.

If there are property conditions which need to be corrected, then the buyer's agent lets the listing agent know about such conditions, but does not share the appraisal with the listing agent.  There is one agent who lied to me, about certain conditions needing to be corrected.  I believe that he lied because the appraiser never asked for proof that such conditions were corrected and never came out to reinspect for the repair of such conditions and the lender acted surprised when he heard about them.  In the future, I will ask for proof by either getting something directly from the appraiser or by getting the actual appraisal.

The seller is never told the amount for which the property appraised, but simply if it was high enough or not high enough to meet the contractual amount.  However, if the deal falls through, then, at least for a period of time, the appraisal will still apply to the property for FHA and VA loans, so the value has an impact on what price should be asked when the seller puts the home back on the market.

Because there is information on the appraisal which could directly affect the seller, the seller should be allowed to see the appraisal.