Kern Valuation Services

Real Estate Appraisal Services for Bakersfield and Kern County

home appraisal report

High-Performance Housing

As an SRA Designated appraiser,Steve Magar specializes in researching market trends and determining market value for all types of residential properties.

He is experienced at appraising everything from the basic photovoltaic solar system to the high-performance energy efficient housing.

Steve is one of few local appraisers to have successfully completed the Appraisal Institute’s “Valuation of Sustainable Buildings Professional Development Program”  specific to the appraisal of Green, Solar, and High-Performance Residential Housing.

We can provide detailed appraisal services for you relative to:

  • Energy Efficient Housing
  • Photovoltaic Solar Systems
  • HERS | ENERGY STAR Housing
  • Green Valuation
  • Sustainable | High-Performance Properties

When you are ready to order that detailed appraisal analysis for your unique property type, we are here to help!

Banks

We provide appraisal services for many local banking institutions assisting with the strict requirements for in-house lending and the appraisal review services often required.

With over 20 years of local appraisal experience, we are familiar with nuances of the Kern County markets and will provide a well-grounded appraisal report with in-depth analysis of neighborhood trends, detailed on-site inspection and a thorough review of multiple data sources to provide you with a reliable report for lending purposes.

Furthermore, our reports include a multi-stage in house review to simplify the appraisal process and minimize potential client revisions.

Services we provide include:

  • Conventional Appraisal Reports
  • FHA Appraisal Reports
  • VA Appraisal Reports
  • Appraisal Review Services
  • Refinance Valuations
  • Collateral Valuations
  • Cash-Out Refinance Valuations
  • Estate Valuations

With our full-time office staff, your appraisal orders are prioritized and processed quickly, with immediate appointment booking and quick responses to client inquiries.

We strive to maintain clear communication and keep our clients well informed throughout the entire appraisal process.

Homeowners

Homeowners require an accurate appraisal report on which to base their financial decisions.

As an SRA designated appraiser, Steve Magar specializes in researching market trends and determining market value for all types of residential properties.

He is experienced at appraising everything from the basic tract home to the most complex high dollar luxury home and ranch type properties.

Need assistance valuing that energy efficient green home or multi-acre horse property we specialize in the complex assignments.

*Please be aware that if your appraisal is for a typical lending transaction, current financial regulations will require most lenders to order the appraisal directly from the appraisal firm. Aside from that, please call us to schedule any of the following services:

Pre-listing Appraisals for Homeowners

Do you have a complex property or have you recently completed significant renovations that require specialized appraisal knowledge?  We can help you accurately price your home at current market value to alleviate the threat of underpricing your home and leaving valuable dollars on the table, or overpricing and wasting precious marketing time due to unrealistic expectations.

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Transactions

Also known as FSBO, For Sale by Owner transactions involve a homeowner who decides to take on the responsibility of selling a home without the involvement of an agent.

Whether you need to establish a contract price with a potential buyer or just need assistance in determining a reasonable asking price, we can help.

Kern Valuation Services can partner with you to provide an unbiased estimate of current market value to ease in the selling process.

Estate Valuation

When it comes time to establish value for that inherited estate, or investment portfolio, we are here to help.

We have years of experience partnering with CPA’s and attorneys to produce reliable estate valuation reports to assist with your financial planning needs and to properly document the current market value of your estate portfolio.

Tax Basis Valuation for Homeowners

Let us help you with your asset valuation as it relates to a real estate portfolio.  We can provide you and your accountant with reliable reports to establish a tax base, or to assist with IRS tax planning strategies.

We can help you produce reliable market based valuations for your accounting records.

Retrospective Appraisal

Also known as historical appraisals, we can assist you with past dated appraisals relative to:

  • Valuation for Legal or Partnership Disputes and Divorce Issues
  • Tax Valuation Services
  • Date of Death Valuation for Tax Basis and Inheritance Planning
  • Valuation of Gifted/Inheritance Property
  • Insurance Valuation for Property Damage by Fire or Flood
  • Legal issues as of a retrospective date

Family Transfers

Whether buying or selling property between family members, an appraisal can help record a reliable indication of market value and assist with the financial planning process.

With years of experience in all forms of residential appraisal valuation, we can assist you with your family transfer valuation needs.

Collateral Valuation for Homeowners

Do you need to utilize your home equity for collateral security?  From hard money lending to bail bond assurance, we can provide reliable appraisal reports with quick turnaround times to assist your valuation needs.

Call us today and we will be happy to discuss the best report option to meet your specific needs.

Valuation of Unique Properties

If you have that unique piece of real estate that is difficult to value, we can help.  As a SRA Designated appraiser, Steve Magar specializes in the appraisal of complex properties.

From exotic luxury homes to lakefront properties or energy efficient green and solar homes, we put in the time to properly document the complexities and provide the in-depth research and analysis required to produce a reliable, well-grounded appraisal report.

Give us a call and we’ll be happy to discuss your specific property type.

Land Valuation

Depending upon location, zoning and adjoining uses, land valuation can entail a complex highest and best use analysis.  Additionally, sales of comparable sites are often sparse and data is limited.

Let us put our multiple data sources and extensive market knowledge to work to assist with your buying or selling needs.

Accountants & Tax Professionals

CPA’s and Tax Professionals require well-documented appraisal reports to properly substantiate the market value of their clients’ estates.

With over 20 years of local appraisal experience, we are familiar with the nuances of the Kern County markets and provide detailed inspections and reliable appraisal opinions, resulting in credible reports for your accounting needs.

Services we provide include:

Retrospective Reports – also known as historical appraisal reports as of a past date of death, or significant date of value.  It can be utilized to determine a cost basis for tax and accounting purposes.

Estate Transfer – We can provide a valuation for single or multi-parcel estates relative to taxation, inheritance or other estate planning needs.

Portfolio Valuation – Institutional investors often prefer to engage the services of an independent expert appraiser, which allows them to report an unbiased value and add a layer of reliability to the valuation process.

If you are looking for ways to increase the credibility of your clients’ residential portfolio, Kern Valuation Services can offer a suite of appraisal services tailored to your specific needs.

Attorneys

Valuations for divorce, estate and legal applications require a high degree of market knowledge, local experience, and professionalism, far beyond the experience of the typical residential appraiser.

With detailed inspections and defensible appraisal opinions, Steve can help you build the best cases for your clients. His credentials include:

He has acquired the ideal blend of professional training, knowledge and real-world market experience to produce reliable, detailed appraisal reports with defensible market analysis.

Please allow us to assist you with any of your residential valuations for Divorce, Partnership Dissolution, Litigation, Forensic Review, Bankruptcy or Estate Valuation.

Appraisal Management Companies

Valuation Services for Conventional Financing

With our full time office staff, your appraisal orders are prioritized and processed quickly, with immediate appointment booking and quick responses to client inquiries.  We strive to maintain clear communication and keep our clients well informed throughout the entire appraisal process. Services we provide include:

Conventional Financing

An appraisal for a conventional financed property is the most common appraisal report format.  With a commitment to continuous education and a focus on current market trends, our reports are compliant with changing regulations and reflect accurate market analysis.

With over 20 years of local appraisal experience, we are familiar with nuances of the Kern County markets and will provide a well-grounded appraisal report with in-depth analysis of neighborhood trends, a detailed on-site inspection and a thorough review of multiple data sources to provide you with a reliable report for lending purposes.

Our reports include a multi-stage in house review to simplify the appraisal process and minimize potential client revisions.

FHA Financing

As a longtime member of the HUD/FHA appraisal panel, we are well versed in the specific requirements and in-depth analysis required by our FHA clients.  Kern Valuation Services is committed to the continuous education required to stay on top of the most recent FHA changes and requirements.

In an attempt to better serve our FHA clients, we have compiled the following list of Most Common FHA Deficiencies.

FHA repair requests are required when deficiencies are noted during the on-site inspection process.  These repairs are clearly documented in our reports to protect the client’s financial interest and conform to the stringent requirements of the FHA guidelines.  We prioritize all FHA repair inspections with quick turnaround times to expedite the lending process and better serve our clients. *Please remember that the appraiser is not a licensed home inspector and the FHA appraisal is not a substitute for a home inspection report.

VA Financing

As an approved appraiser on the Veterans Administration Panel, we are proud to provide valuation services to assist our veterans with their lending needs.  VA appraisals typically require a more extensive on-site inspection than the typical conventional appraisal report.

This is why the VA panel only employs seasoned appraisers in good standing with local market knowledge.

Health and safety issues and VA minimum property requirements will be observed and summarized in the report.  When VA property deficiencies are noted, they are disclosed for repair.

*Please remember that the appraiser is not a licensed home inspector and the VA appraisal is not a substitute for a home inspection report.

Upon notice of repair completion, we prioritize all VA repair inspections to provide quick turnaround times and expedite the lending process.