A homeowner calls her real estate agent and asks what the house might sell for; the agent pulls a handful of recent sales nearby, drives by a couple of them, and has a number back within a day or two, often for free. A few miles away, a couple going through a divorce needs a value their judge will accept, and their attorney tells them a broker's opinion won't cut it, and that they need a certified appraisal instead. An appraisal and a broker's opinion are honest, professional

How long does a commercial appraisal take? Learn the typical timeline, appraisal process, factors that cause delays, and how to prepare for a faster turnaround.

Every appraisal has a timeline, and every appraiser has had the experience of watching that timeline stretch out for reasons that have nothing to do with the property itself. More often than not, the delay is caused by waiting on paperwork, because an appraiser can only work as fast as the information available to them, and when key documents are missing, the appraiser is either then forced to track them down independently, request them from third parties, or make assumptions