An issue we often run into in San Diego county as a Real Estate appraiser during our San Diego Appraisals is converted garages. There are many homeowners who have converted their garages into living space for their home. We are often asked if the converted garage is included in the appraisal as square footage to the property. As an appraiser we have to determine if the converted garage is allowed and included in the square footage of the home.
Appraisers are often not told about the conversion but identify it during the inspection and in most cases there are discrepancies between the appraisers measurements and tax records or Sandicor MLS due to the increased square footage. The appraiser must first verify if the work has been completed in a workmanlike manner and the conversion must be completed at the same quality of upgrades as the rest of the home.
Once the appraiser has confirmed that is was completed in a workmanlike manner the next step is to contact the city or county for permits to determine if the conversion was completed legally. If the structure is un-permitted it will be disclosed in the report. There are few lenders that will allow the addition to be included in the report and some may ask for a “cost to cure” which will determine how much it would cost to convert the structure back to a garage.
Converting a garage is a personal preference and some buyers may not find the conversion appealing and would rather have a garage. Regardless of their preference the conversion could affect your appraisal and any upgrades done, if not permitted, may not add value to your home at all. Be aware that an un-permitted garage conversion could cost you money with no return on investment and may delay your loan process.
Please contact our office with any questions you may have or to schedule your appraisal appointment at 760-741-7699, brandlinappraisal@yahoo.com or use our contact page on our website.
Brandlin Appraisals Inc. specialize in helping people who need appraisals for estate purposes, divorce, date of death, bankruptcy, FSBO’s and more throughout San Diego county. For more information please contact us at (760)741-7699, or visit our website at Brandlinappraisals.com, or email us at admin@brandlinappraisals.com
Mike Brandlin
San Diego, CA // Real Estate Appraiser
www.brandlinappraisals.com
(760) 741-7699
San Diego Real Estate Appraisal Services For:
* Divorce Appraisals / Marriage Dissolution
* Bankruptcy Appraisals
* Bail Bonds Appraisals
* Estate / Date of Death / Retrospective Appraisals
* Financial Planning & Trusts
* PMI Removal Appraisals
* Pre-Foreclosure & Short Sales
* Tax Assessment Appeals
* Pre-Listing, Pre-Purchase, FSBO’s
* Probate Appraisals
