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Professional Home Appraisals
You Need More Than a Number. You Need to Know What It Means.
Maybe you are getting ready to sell. Maybe a property is part of an estate, divorce, tax appeal, or private transaction. Or maybe you simply need to know what your home is worth before making your next move.
Whatever brought you here, you need a number you can stand behind.
Tyke Appraisals provides independent residential appraisals backed by more than 26 years of experience. We look at the property itself, the sales that truly compete with it, and the local market factors that affect value. Then we give you a clear, supportable opinion of value you can actually use.
- Free Estimates
- Fully Licensed
- Same-Day Service
We serve homeowners throughout Sarasota, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and surrounding communities.
When a Home Appraisal Makes Sense
Most people do not order a home appraisal just to satisfy their curiosity. There is usually a decision behind it.
Before You List Your Home
If you are getting ready to sell, a pre-listing appraisal can give you an independent opinion of value before you set the asking price. That can be especially useful when the property is unique, heavily updated, located in an area with limited comparable sales, or when you want another perspective before going to market.
Estate and Probate
An estate appraisal may be needed to establish the value of a property for probate, estate settlement, tax purposes, or a date-of-death valuation. These assignments often require a value as of a specific date, not simply what the property is worth today. We make sure the appraisal is developed for the purpose it is intended to serve.
Divorce and Property Division
When real estate is part of a divorce, both sides need a value that is based on the property and the market, not on what either party hopes the home is worth. A divorce appraisal provides an independent opinion of value that can help attorneys, mediators, and property owners work from the same set of facts.
Property Tax Appeals
If you believe your property assessment does not reflect the market, an appraisal can help determine whether there is support for an appeal. The key is not whether the assessed value feels high. It is whether the market data supports a different value for the property as of the relevant assessment date.
Private Sales and Family Transfers
Not every home sale happens on the open market. If you are selling to a family member, transferring ownership, buying out another owner, or completing a private transaction, an independent real estate appraisal can help establish a fair market value before the terms are finalized.
Financial and Ownership Decisions
A home is often one of a person's largest assets. An appraisal can be useful when getting a loan, planning for a trust, reviewing assets, making ownership decisions, or simply needing a documented value for a bankruptcy or a larger financial matter.
PMI Removal
If your home's value has increased, you may be looking into removing private mortgage insurance. Before ordering an appraisal, check with your lender or mortgage servicer. Some lenders require the valuation to be ordered through their own process. If an independent appraisal is appropriate, we can help determine the next step.
Every appraisal starts with understanding the reason you need it. That reason helps determine the effective date, scope of work, and type of report that makes sense for the assignment.
Call 813-808-8953 to get started.
What We Look At When Appraising Your Home
A home appraisal is not based on one feature, one sale, or one formula. It comes from looking at the property as a whole and understanding how buyers in the local market react to its characteristics.
We look at the things that can influence value.
Location: The neighborhood, street, proximity to water, access, surrounding properties, and other location factors that affect buyer demand.
Condition: Overall maintenance, updates, deferred repairs, and how the home compares with competing properties in the market.
Size and layout: Gross living area matters, but so does how that space functions. Two homes with similar square footage can have very different appeal.
Renovations and improvements: Updated kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, windows, additions, pools, and other improvements are considered in the context of what buyers are actually paying for them.
Lot and site characteristics: Lot size, shape, view, privacy, waterfront influence, flood considerations, and other site features can all affect market reaction.
Quality and age: Construction quality, architectural style, effective age, and the level of finish all play a role.
Comparable sales: We study recent sales that truly compete with the subject property. The closest sale is not always the best comparable.
Current market conditions: Supply, demand, price trends, and buyer behavior can shift quickly, so the appraisal needs to reflect the market as of the effective date.
The goal is not to find a few sales and force the property to fit them. It is to identify the most relevant market evidence, account for meaningful differences, and arrive at a value that is supported by the property and the market around it.
That’s important for appraisals in Tampa, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg, where value can change significantly from one neighborhood to the next. Local knowledge helps us recognize those differences instead of treating every home as if it competes in the same market.
Home Appraisal FAQs
How long does a home appraisal take?
The property visit depends on the size, condition, and complexity of the home. Research and report preparation continue after the inspection. If you are working with a deadline, let us know when you contact us so we can confirm expected timing.
Do I need to be home during the appraisal?
No. Someone simply needs to provide access unless other arrangements have been made. If you are there, you can point out renovations, additions, or features that may be relevant to the appraisal.
What should I have ready for the appraiser?
If available, have information about major renovations, additions, permits, or recent improvements. You do not need to stage the home, but it helps to make all areas accessible.
Do renovations always increase appraised value?
Not necessarily. Cost and value are not the same. The appraisal considers how buyers in the local market respond to the improvement, along with its quality, condition, and overall contribution to the property.
Is a home appraisal the same as a real estate agent's CMA?
No. A comparative market analysis is typically used to help set a listing price. An appraisal is an independent opinion of value developed by a licensed or certified appraiser.
How do I get started?
Send us the property address, the reason you need the appraisal, and any deadline you are working with. We will review the request and help you determine the right next step.
Can a home appraisal be completed for a past date?
Yes. Some assignments, including estate, probate, divorce, and tax matters, may require a retrospective appraisal based on a specific date in the past. In those cases, the appraiser analyzes the market conditions and relevant sales that existed as of that effective date, rather than relying only on current market activity. The required date should be identified when the appraisal is ordered.
Tyke Appraisals brings more than 26 years of residential appraisal experience to Sarasota, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and surrounding communities.
Initial consultations are always free. Contact us and let’s get started.