Real estate appraisal services for homeowners in the city of Oakland and Alameda County

The top 7 reasons why CA homeowners call on Fahrnkopf Appraisal:

Get a pre-listing appraisal (whether you're using an agent or selling the home on your own)
Challenge property tax assessments
Remove PMI to reduce their mortgage payments
To reinstate your Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
Review another appraiser's report for verification
If property needs to be divided because of a divorce
To determine the true market value of property in question to settle an estate

Own a house in or near Oakland, CA and need help deciding the value of it?
Contact Fahrnkopf Appraisal.

We at Fahrnkopf Appraisal understand the particular needs of a customer seeking appraisal services. While our usual clients understand the appraisal process and standard reporting formats, you as a consumer will get an extra level of customer service in the form of an explanation of the process and even special consumer-friendly reporting forms if the assignment allows for them.

For-Sale-By-Owner (FSBO) / Pre-Listing Services

It's very hard to be objective about your home because of your emotional attachment to it. The professional appraisers at Fahrnkopf Appraisal will tell you what you need to know -- not just what you want to hear. We are objective. In addition to helping you set a realistic price to sell at so your house will attract buyers, a professional appraisal is a very important negotiating tool once you have a likely buyer. It's something tangible to show your buyer. An appraisal is an independent third party's opinion of your property's value -- not just you saying how much you think your house is worth. Potential buyers know you have an emotional attachment to your home and will be far more likely to give credibility to a qualified appraiser's value conclusion than yours.

PMI Removal Appraisals

Getting the PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) eliminated from your mortgage loan is a preferred way to cut costs for homeowners. Your monthly payments will go down once your mortgage loan amount is down below 80% of the value of your property. In most cases you can apply to your lender to have the PMI eliminated from your loan. Fahrnkopf Appraisal is experienced in helping people just like you do away with unwanted PMI insurance.

Challenge Tax Assessment

Your local tax assessor may have your home overvalued if you live in a local area that's declining. That only means you're most likely paying more taxes than you should. Since your property assessment may likely go up again in the next period, the quicker you take care of things like this, the better off you'll be. Getting an expert appraisal from Fahrnkopf Appraisal is your strongest weapon when challenging your property tax assessment.

HELOC recently frozen?

Even if your specific property has not declined in value, your lender just may choose to automatically freeze your home equity line of credit (HELOC) if your house is close to a declining area. Not only can this be troublesome from a cash flow point of view, but it can be destructive to your credit score since it may appear as though that credit line is maxed out. Fahrnkopf Appraisal can help you reinstate your home equity line of credit with efficient appraisal.

Do You Need Field and Desktop Appraisal Review Services?

Have you just been handed a copy of your appraisal and you would like to have a seasoned professional double-check it for precision or do you need a second opinion without the added cost and delay of waiting for a whole new appraisal? Fahrnkopf Appraisal offers field reviews where we'll go out and check the subject and comps in question. If you're in a hurry, we'll provide you with a desk review and verify as many facts as we can using online data sources as well as our own files.

We can also provide a retrospective review of any appraisal report you may have in your possession. Even though this is typically requested by banks, you may wish to utilize this service if you suspect mortgage fraud related to your home.