Neighborhood Analysis

Homium’s appraisal report forms and guidelines do not require the appraiser to rate or judge the neighborhood. Homium requires the appraiser to perform an objective neighborhood analysis by identifying neighborhood boundaries, neighborhood characteristics, and the factors that affect the value and marketability of properties in the neighborhood.

• Neighborhood boundaries. The appraiser should provide an outline of the neighborhood boundaries, which should be clearly delineated using ‘North’, ‘South’, ‘East’, and ‘West’. These boundaries may include, but are not limited to streets, legally recognized neighborhood boundaries, waterways, or other natural boundaries that define the separation of one neighborhood from another. Appraisers should not reference a map or other addendum as the only example of the neighborhood boundaries.

• Neighborhood characteristics. These can be addressed by the types of structures (detached, attached) and architectural styles in the neighborhood (such as row or townhouse, colonial, ranch, or Victorian); current land use (such as single-family residential, commercial, or industrial); typical site size (such as 10000 sf, or 2.00 ac); or street patterns or design (such as one-way street, cul-de-sac, or court).

• Factors that affect the value and marketability of properties in the neighborhood. These can be addressed by such things as the proximity of the property to employment and amenities, employment stability, appeal to the market, changes in land use, access to public transportation, and adverse environmental influences.

The appraiser must fully consider all of the value-influencing characteristics in the neighborhood and arrive at an appropriate neighborhood description and opinion of value for the property, even if this requires more extensive research for particular property types or for properties in certain geographic locations.

An appraiser must perform a neighborhood analysis in order to identify the area that is subject to the same influences as the property being appraised, based on the actions of typical buyers. The results of a neighborhood analysis enable the appraiser not only to identify the factors that influence the value of properties in the neighborhood, but also to define the area from which to select the market data needed to perform a sales comparison analysis.

In performing a neighborhood analysis, the appraiser

• collects pertinent data,

• conducts a visual inspection of the neighborhood to observe its physical characteristics and determine its boundaries, and

• identifies land uses and any signs that the land uses are changing.

Homium expects the appraiser and the underwriter to be aware of the varying conditions that characterize different types of neighborhoods. Conditions that are typical in certain neighborhoods may not be present in other neighborhoods. This does not mean that the existence of certain types of conditions or characteristics are unacceptable; rather, it is an indication that they must be viewed in context with the nature of the neighborhood in which the security property is located. For example, some neighborhoods consist of a variety of property types that have different uses. It is not uncommon to find properties that have mixed-uses, such as residential properties that also have child-care facilities, doctor or dental offices, and other types of business or commercial uses. The presence of mixed-use properties or a variety of property types within a neighborhood should be viewed as a neighborhood characteristic that the appraiser considers when performing the neighborhood analysis and describing the neighborhood boundaries.

The appraiser must consider the influence of market forces, including but not limited to, economic, governmental, and environmental factors on property values in the neighborhood. Economic forces that must be considered include such things as the existence of vacant or boarded-up properties in the neighborhood, and the level of essential local support services. Examples of governmental forces that should be taken into consideration include the regulations, laws, and taxes that are imposed on properties. Environmental forces that must be considered include, among other things, the existence of a hazardous waste site on or near the property, and the proximity of a property to an airport. Certain other factors that are not appraisal factors, such as the racial or ethnic composition of a neighborhood or the age or sex of the individuals who live in a particular neighborhood, must not be considered in the valuation process.

The appraiser must determine, analyze, and consider factors in the valuation process based on their identification of all forces or factors that have the potential to influence the value of the property. The appraiser must report neighborhood conditions in factual, specific terms and be impartial and specific in describing favorable or unfavorable factors in a neighborhood. If an appraiser can demonstrate by market evidence that a characteristic has an effect on the value or marketability of the properties in the neighborhood, they must consider it in the valuation process. The appraiser must not make unsupported assumptions or interject personal opinion or perceptions about market forces or other factors that may or may not affect the use and value of a property. For example, a property located in an older neighborhood can be as sound an investment as a property located in a new neighborhood.