How to measure a home in Charlotte, NC

When real estate appraisers and real estate measure homes, they usually adhere to what is known as the ANSI Standard. In North Carolina, the Real Estate Commission developed what has become known as the "Yellow Book". These guidelines that were developed by the Commission, basically mirror the ANSI guidelines.

Some quick facts on how to measure a home, and what is included in the finished heated, living areas:

1. A home must be heated by a fixed system. This includes, but is not limited to: forced/ducted systems, radiant or solar heat, that is permantly attached to the dwelling. A portable heater is not considered as a coventional heating system.

A property does not have to have a A/C system.

2. A home should be finihsed with similar materials that are accepted by the market.

3. The ceiling height should be of atleast seven feet. Some exceptions apply.

4. For a room to be considered as living area, it has to be directly accessible through other heated, and finished living areas. For example, a room cannot be counted as a living area if it can only be accessed through the garage.

5. Any area that is below grade, cannot be counted as "above grade living area", no matter how good the quality of the finish is.

This does not mean that the area below grade is worth less than the area above grade. In some homes, the quality of constrcution is equal to, or better than the above grade living area. Although in some homes, mainly older homes, the quality is inferior with such items such as veneer panel walls, and drop ceilings.

So why does my square footage differ from the plans when purchased new, or the county tax records?

On average, the home will grow from when it is compared to the plan square footage. The appraiser or real estate agent should measure the home from the exterior, at the FACE OF THE WALL, not from the vertical trim pieces. While the county tax accessor does measure each and every home, they do round the numbers a little differantly than appraisers, and they have to measure every home in an entire city, so mistakes are bound to happen.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) adopted a standard for measuring single-family residences. This standard is known as Z765. This standard is reconized by architects, various state boards, Fannie Mae, and HUD/FHA.

Appraisal Types Offered Charlotte, NC

Valuation Experts offers more detail, research, and analysis in our base appraisal reports, as compared to our compettion.

Valuation Experts offers a variety of appraisal products in order to meet our clients needs. Many clients are under the impression that all appraisal products are the same, all appraisers do the same amount of research and anaylsis, and that all appraisers will come up with the same value conclusion. This is simply not true. The recent changes to USPAP now allows the appraiser to offer different types of appraisal products. This is called the Scope of Work rule.

Scope of Work: the type and extent of research and analysis in an assignment.

Scope of work includes, but is not limited to:

- the extent to which the property is identified;
- the extent to which tangible property is inspected;
- the type and extent of data researched; and
- the type and extent of analysis applied to arrive at opinions or conclusions.

An appraiser must be prepared to demonstrate that the scope of work is sufficient to produce credible assignment results, that credible assignment results require support by relevant evidence and logic, and that the credibility of assignment results is always measured in the context of the intended use.

Each written appraisal report must be prepared under one of the following options:

- Self-Contained Appraisal Report

- Summary Appraisal Report

- Restricted Use Appraisal Report

The most common type of reporting option is the Summary Appraisal Report. As noted by the name, this report is a summarization of the data, techniques, etc. used in the report. The majority of the data and techniques are kept in the appraisers work file.



We are a full service appraisal, consulting and real estate solutions provider located in Matthews, North Carolina. We are FHA approved, and specialize in high-end residential properties, golf course communities, and lake front properties. We also have extensive experience appraising REO/Foreclosure properties for Fannie Mae.

Our main areas for our appraisal services are: Mecklenburg County, Union County, Gaston County, Iredell County, and Cabarrus County.

The President of the company is a North Carolina native, and is a State Certified Appraiser, a State Licensed RE Broker, and a State Licensed General Contractor. Our President has extensive knowledge in the field of real estate, and construction. Our Family is very active in the development of residential subdivisions in Mecklenburg, Union County, and the surrounding areas.

We are proud of our history and look forward to a future that includes even more innovative ways to give our clients the competitive edge they require.

Our certified FHA appraisers are ready to serve you!!

Home Measuring Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Union, NC

Top Five Reasons for Getting a Home Measured:
1. Reduces the Liability for all parties.

2. Saves time!! Let's you do what you do best, and that is list and sell homes!!

3. Provides a potential buyer with a visualization tool. This in turn will save you time and money because it narrows down the choices and helps the potential buyer make a faster and more informed decision.



4. Improves the MLS data. Everyone knows how inaccurate the tax records are.

5. Less hassles. More than likely the lender will order a home appraisal. An appraiser will then measure the home to determine the square footage. If the home was listed at the incorrect square footage, the appraised value could be different than what was to be expected. This could cause the loan to fall through, and in turn, you could have a disgruntled seller and buyer. Home measuring Charlotte NC


Valuation Experts is a residential property appraising firm offering home appraisals in Charlotte and the surrounding areas. We have local expertise dedicated to providing appraisals and other real estate services through analytic discipline and a team approach. Our company's philosophy is to provide a objective appraisal to our clients in making informed lending, buying, and selling decisions. All of our appraisers are certified by the State of North Carolina
and are FHA approved appraisers.