What is the role of a "real estate appraiser"?

A real estate appraiser is a qualified professional tasked with providing an objective evaluation of a property's market value. This role is essential in various real estate transactions, including sales, financing, and property tax assessments. The appraiser uses various methods, including comparison with similar properties, analysis of market trends, and evaluation of the property's unique features and condition, to arrive at an unbiased estimate of what the property is worth in the current market.

By focusing on market value estimation, the role of an appraiser serves to ensure that buyers, sellers, and financial institutions have a clear understanding of a property's worth, facilitating fair transactions and accurate lending decisions. This is particularly important in ensuring that buyers are not overpaying for a property and that lenders are not financing more than the property's actual value, protecting all parties involved in the process.

In contrast, other roles related to real estate include property management, which involves overseeing rental properties; direct sales to buyers by real estate agents; and negotiation of terms and conditions in transactions. However, these roles do not involve the appraisal function, which is strictly focused on determining property value.