Free Mobile Home Appraisal Value
From LoveToKnow Insurance
Although obtaining the market value is relatively simple, finding a quality free mobile home appraisal value is a little more difficult. If the market value is sufficient for your needs, however, then this can be found easily and without any charge.
Appraisal Value versus Market Value
An appraisal involves a qualified professional visiting the mobile home and making an educated assessment as to the value of the dwelling. The appraiser will take into consideration the condition of the mobile home, repairs that need to be made, and any other factors which may affect the value of a mobile home.
The market value of a mobile home is an estimate of the monetary amount the [mobile home might be sold for]. This information is based on the square footage of the mobile home in addition to recent sales of comparable mobile homes within the vicinity. No inspector is needed for a market value analysis, but a local real estate agent will have access to information which will make the market value estimate much more accurate.
Necessary or Not
If your lender or insurance company requests an estimate of the value of your mobile home, do not automatically assume that a full appraisal is necessary. Some companies willingly accept a mobile home’s market value and, since this can be obtained from several sources at no cost, it is preferable to paying an inspector for a full appraisal.
If a market value estimate is sufficient then contact a local real estate agent or visit one of the many websites offering mobile home market values free of charge. Some of these websites include:
If an appraisal is necessary then you may want to inquire as to whether the county assessment is sufficient. These assessments are usually conducted annually and do not cost the mobile home owner anything at all. You should note, however, that oftentimes county assessments list a lower price than the actual market value.
Free Mobile Home Appraisal Values for Recreational Vehicles
Not all mobile homes are used as permanent dwellings, and mobile homes which are not placed on a foundation and are often moved fall into a different category. If you need to find out the appraised value of your recreational mobile home – but do not want to pay a fee – there are a couple options to choose from:
- Visit a local mobile home dealer and request an appraisal. Some dealerships are willing to do this, especially if you are considering trading the mobile home in to order to purchase a new mobile home through the dealership.
- Visit the website for Kelly Blue Book or N.A.D.A and search the databanks to see if the make and model for your mobile home is listed. Both websites give relatively accurate values for no charge.
If neither of these options are sufficient for your appraisal needs, and the company or individual requesting the appraisal (if other than yourself) will not supply the appraisal, then you may have to pay for the appraisal inspection. There are plenty of companies offering thorough mobile home appraisals, but the cost of the appraisal varies from company to company. Do not automatically hire the company offering the lowest costs, because you want to make sure that the appraisal is accurate and trustworthy.
Accuracy is Important
A mobile home appraisal that is not accurate may wind up listing an appraised value which is much less than the mobile home is actually worth, which will make it difficult to sell at the actual value price and can cause problems if an insurance claim needs to be made. By the same token, an over-valued appraisal might result in selling problems due to an over-inflated selling price as well as possibly resulting in paying too much for insurance premiums since the coverage is based on the appraised value.
Whatever means you utilize in order to obtain the appraised value of your mobile home, do not be afraid to ask questions if the appraised value comes back much higher or much lower than what you expected it to be.
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Comments
If both KBB and NADA do not have information for the mobile home you own, consider contacting a local mobile home dealer to see if a free appraidal is available.
-- Contributed by: Tamsen ButlerI looked on both Kelley Blue Book & NADA, KBB does not even mention mobile homes. Nada charges for their info. Could you please tell me how to find this info that you advise without a charge?
-- Contributed by: B SueKelley Blue Book does offer appraisal values for some mobile homes. You are right that NADA charges a $20 fee for access to a full mobile home appraisal, but does offer free values for certain types of mobile homes free of charge.
-- Contributed by: Tamsen Butler
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