Seattle skyline and Mount Rainier seen from a residential deck

For lenders, AMCs and cash buyers

Purchase
appraisals

AppraisalMS appraises homes for purchase loans and cash sales across five Puget Sound counties. Ask for a quote through the form on our homepage or call (425) 967-3498.

Who orders it

Who orders a purchase appraisal?

On a financed purchase the lender or its appraisal management company places the order, and we take those assignments in King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap and Thurston Counties. Cash buyers can hire us directly. A purchase report typically takes 7 to 10 days depending on scope, and it arrives on the date we give you.

With no lender in the deal, an appraisal is the cash buyer's one independent check on the price. Agents can't order the lender's appraisal, though we are glad to hear about pending sales nearby or a feature that is easy to miss.

What you get

What does the lender get?

Reasoning an underwriter can follow

Each adjustment comes with a sentence explaining it, so the file answers its own questions before a revision request goes out.

The report format lenders now need

Fannie Mae has set November 2, 2026 as the date UAD 3.6 becomes mandatory for new submissions. We deliver in the format your lender and loan program call for.

Attached homes

Our team knows condos, townhomes and every other attached dwelling type well, from rowhouse townhomes to tower units.

Word while you wait

You hear from us while the report is in progress, and a friendly person answers when you call to ask.

Why it holds up

How does a review background help your file?

Gerry Allard is a former Chief Appraiser for a national appraisal management company, the job of reading other appraisers' reports and sending weak ones back. That shapes how we write a purchase report: comparable choices and adjustments are explained up front, where an underwriter looks first.

Before the visit we study recent sales and listings. At the home we measure, photograph and note condition. Then each comparable is checked against county records for ownership, permits and prior sales.

Questions

Purchase appraisal questions

What does a purchase appraisal cost, and how long does it take?

We quote each one, because the fee depends on the home and the scope of the assignment. Plan on 7 to 10 days depending on scope.

Can a buyer or agent choose AppraisalMS for a loan?

For a financed purchase the lender or its AMC picks the appraiser, which keeps the appraisal independent of the sale. A cash buyer can hire us directly through the quote form.

What if the value comes in below the contract price?

The buyer and seller can renegotiate, the buyer can bring more cash, or the lender can be asked to reconsider using closed sales the report missed. Our article on winning a reconsideration of value covers what works.

Do you appraise for FHA purchase loans?

Yes. FHA adds HUD property standards on top of value; our FHA appraisal page explains the difference.

Which counties do you cover for purchases?

King, Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap and Thurston, from our office at 3500 188th St SW in Lynnwood.

Service areas