Why do I need an appraisal?
- For the sale of a piece of land, an apartment, a house, an apartment block or a commercial property.
- For the buying of a piece of land, an apartment, a house, an apartment block or a commercial property.
- For financing for submission to a bank or savings bank.
- For submission to a court or for inheritance proceedings.
- In the event of a divorce.
- For an inheritance or for a group of heirs.
- In inheritance matters.
- Concerning inheritances and gifts, for presentation to the tax office.
- Concerning tax-related matters.
- For a compulsory partition by public auction / compulsory auction.
- For presentation to an insurance company.
- For a ruling on the costs in the event of building damage.
Why an appraiser?
An appraiser must be neutral, the priority in his work is to draw up a correct appraisal.
A real estate agent primarily has in interest in a sale / commission. The joint heir, the partner being paid off, the income tax office, the bank or the insurance company each have their own priorities.
What kinds of appraisal are there?
- Market value assessment in accordance with Article 194 of the German Baugesetzbuch (BauGB). [Construction Code].
- Building damage assessments.
- Expert opinions to clarify economic or technical questions.
- Short assessments.
What procedure is used to draw up a market value assessment?
According to the rulings of the German Immobilienwertermittlungsverordnung (ImmoWertV) [Real Estate Valuation Ordinance], the market value assessment is to include the procedures for assessing the value of the land, the earnings value method or the asset value method when determining the market value. The procedures are to be selected according to the type of property whose value is being determined with due consideration for the standard practices in normal business dealings and other circumstances in the individual case, and in particular the data that is available, and the choice must be justified. The market value is determined from the results of the procedure or procedures that are used, taking into consideration their informative value (Article 8 para. 1, of the German ImmoWertV).
- Comparative value method:
In the comparative value method the comparative value is determined from an adequate number of comparison prices. The comparative prices are derived by considering the selling prices of such items of real estate that have an adequate degree of similarity in their characteristics to the item being assessed. The value of the land in particular can be determined on the basis of suitable guideline values for land prices.
- Earnings value method:
The earnings value method is based on the rules of economic ideas. It thus puts in the foreground the main economic features and the processes that are relevant for earnings. Implementation of this method to determine the value is of relevance if profit considerations or business parameters are the motor for a possible transfer.
- Asset value method:
The asset value method is based on the production costs. An implementation of this method is indicated if economic factors are secondary in such a case. As a rule, this applies in the case of detached houses.
Do I need an appraisal in all cases?
A market value assessment is required for legal disputes or for tax matters and is submitted to the court or the tax office respectively.
A short assessment represents a first step in the determination of the value and is drawn up in a similar way to a "market value assessment" so that short assessment is frequently adequate for a possible sale or to clarify the distributions of assets within a family.
A building damage assessment is required for legal disputes or for tax matters and is submitted to the court or the tax office respectively.
A large number of technical and business questions and matters can be clarified by an expert opinion.
How much does an appraisal cost?
The costs market value assessments, construction / building damage assessments and expert opinions are calculated on the basis of the amount of time required on the basis of the applicable billing regulations / table of fees.
As a rule, short assessments are billed on a flat rate basis.
Do I need a construction specialist appraiser when buying real estate?
The support of an appraiser can mean that possible defects / damage are found during the buying process so that any additional costs or also disputes can be avoided once the purchase contract has been completed and signed.
Do I need construction supervision by an appraiser?
Construction supervision ensures a neutral form of quality assurance so that the planning and construction description are checked before work starts and a comparison can be made while the work is being carried out. Possible errors and defects can be caught at an early stage so that the corresponding complaints can be made during the construction phase, which prevents a situation whereby any defects or errors that are found after acceptance or handover have to be demonstrably and expensively proven.
Do I need a construction specialist appraiser when a new item of real estate is handed over?
As opposed to a building that has already been erected, a building that is to be built from new can only be inspected before the handover to a limited extent so that any defects or damage need to be found at the time of the handover to prevent a situation where it is necessary to expensively verify this retrospectively.
What is the difference between construction defects and construction damage?
Construction defects can include discrepancies in the actual properties from the agreed properties of a service or item of work or object.
A defect arises as a rule through defective planning and/or workmanship.
Building damage can be either the partial / complete destruction or also the defects in an item of work / component.
Building damage arises as a rule due to the presence of a defect or because of incorrect handling / usage.
Are cracks in the walls and roof slopes a matter of concern?
Due to the geometry of a building, the forces can exert an effect in different directions and cracks can arise as a result. The forces can be due to various reasons. The cause can be changes in the ground / substrate, thermal influences or differing coefficients of expansion if the installed materials, etc.
A technical appraisal can clarify whether and in what form a particular crack is a matter of concern and whether a repair is needed.
Cracks in the screed?
Cracks or breaks in screed arise as a rule due to tensions in the screed slab, through the formation of basins and where the material joins connecting works.
A technical appraisal can clarify whether and in what form a particular crack or break is a matter of concern and whether a repair is needed.
Dampness in the basement, here does it come from?
The basement of a building is located as a rule below ground level, hence within the ground. Depending on the class of ground, the floor slab (floor) and outside walls are constantly exposed to the dampness that is in the ground, up to water under pressure. A vertical and horizontal moisture barrier must be installed in the course of the work to prevent the penetration of water.
The cause of the dampness that is present can be determined as part of a technical appraisal and the measures that need to be taken to correct it are specified.
How does mould arise?
Mould consists of a web of cells (hyphen) and the spores (seeds). They are a natural constituent part of our environment. There are more than 100,000 types of mould. Not all of them are harmful in view of their type / concentration in the air.
Moulds can grow under ideal environmental conditions, which include the corresponding humidity, a suitable growth medium (masonry, brickwork, plaster, gypsum, chipboard panels, insulating panels, wood, wallpaper, leather, fabrics, plastics, etc.) and a broad thermal spectrum.
The increased dampness that leads to the formation of mould is caused as a rule by the dampness from new construction, water damage, construction defects, constructional defects (thermal bridges, etc.) / incorrect usage and incorrect user behaviour.
The cause of the dampness that is present can be determined as part of a technical appraisal and the measures that need to be taken to correct it are specified.
How does a solar system work?
A sun collector (solar collector) converts solar radiation into thermal energy. As a rule, in the collectors there is a medium (liquid heat carrier, oil or water) that is heated and then feeds the heat that has been gained into the heating system.
In a photovoltaic (PV) system the solar radiation that is captured by the solar cells is converted into electrical energy.
How does a heat pump work?
A heat pump is a technical system that picks up heat by using the energy from a reservoir with a lower temperature level (the air, the soil, groundwater, etc.) and feeds it into a reservoir with a higher temperature (heating system, hot water tank, etc.).
A heat pump can transfer around 3 to 5 kWh of hat to a higher temperature while using 1 kWh of electrical energy.
What is thermography?
Thermography is an imaging procedure that works on the basis of a fixed point that serves as a reference for the specified temperature. In addition to this, the intensity of the infrared radiation that is emitted from a fixed point is taken as a reference for the specified temperature.
When is thermography used?
As a rule, thermography is used for building analysis and to analyse defects or damage.
Possible thermal bridges in the building façade and components can be shown in a building analysis.
When used for an analysis of defects or damage, then electrical defects and damaged insulation can be shown in addition to dampness.
