How to Get a Home Appraisal: Cost, Timeline, and What Happens Next
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-04 · Published and reviewed for compliance by Camilo Palacio, a Florida Licensed Realtor
A home appraisal costs $350 to $550 for a typical single-family home and takes 10 to 16 days from order to finished report. Your lender orders it once you're under contract, to prove the home is worth what you're borrowing against. FHA and USDA appraisals typically run $400 to $700. VA appraisals start around $525 and can reach $1,300 in high-cost areas. Want one outside a loan? Order it yourself from a licensed appraiser and pay the fee.
| Factor | Traditional Route | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| Appraisal timing | Buyer's lender orders it once you're under contract, then you wait 10 to 20 days to see if it supports the price. | Net price is locked before repairs are scoped, so the number doesn't shift based on what a buyer's appraisal says. |
| Who pays for it | The buyer usually pays the appraisal fee as part of their loan closing costs. | The real buyer's own lender still orders and pays for the appraisal needed to fund their loan. |
| If it comes in low | Buyer and seller renegotiate, the buyer brings extra cash, or the deal falls apart. | The seller's net price was already locked, so a low appraisal isn't a renegotiation starting point. |
What a Home Appraisal Actually Does
An appraisal is a licensed, third-party opinion of what a specific home is worth on a specific date. A state-licensed or state-certified appraiser inspects the property, pulls three to six recent comparable sales nearby, adjusts for differences in size, condition, and features, and lands on a value. Lenders order appraisals because they're lending against the home as collateral. If the home isn't worth what's being borrowed, the lender is exposed. That's the entire reason the appraisal exists in a purchase or refinance transaction.
Who Orders It and What It Costs
On a purchase or refinance, your lender orders the appraisal, not you and not your real estate agent. That keeps the appraiser independent from anyone with a financial interest in the sale price. The buyer usually pays the fee as part of closing costs. Expect $350 to $550 for a standard single-family home appraisal. FHA and USDA appraisals typically run $400 to $700 because appraisers have to check habitability items HUD requires, not just value, and a USDA direct loan appraisal currently runs a flat $775. VA appraisals start around $525 and can run as high as $1,300 in high-cost areas, though most fall between $600 and $800. Rural properties, unusual homes, and rush requests all add to the fee.
The Process, Step by Step
The appraiser typically contacts you within 48 hours of being assigned to schedule a visit. The on-site inspection itself takes one to two hours: measuring the home, photographing every room, checking condition, and noting any health or safety issues. After that visit, the appraiser spends several days pulling comparable sales and running the adjustments before writing the report. Lenders usually receive the finished report seven to ten days after the inspection. Start to finish, plan on 10 to 16 days for a standard appraisal, and add one to two weeks on top of that for FHA, USDA, or VA loans.
Getting an Appraisal Outside a Loan
You don't need to be buying or refinancing to order an appraisal. Homeowners order private appraisals to remove PMI once they've built enough equity, to settle a divorce or an estate, to dispute a property tax assessment, or just to get a number more precise than an online estimate. In these cases you hire and pay the appraiser directly, usually the same $350 to $550 range, and you own the report instead of the lender.
If the Appraisal Comes in Low
A low appraisal doesn't automatically kill a deal. The buyer can bring the cash difference to closing, the seller can lower the price to match the appraised value, or both sides can split the gap. Either party can also ask the lender to review the appraisal, or order a second one, if there's a real basis to dispute the comps used. Sellers who want their net number locked before repairs and appraisal outcomes get negotiated sometimes work with Cash Flow Deals instead of listing and hoping the appraisal supports the contract price. Cash Flow Deals locks the seller's net price before repairs are even scoped, so a low appraisal on the buyer's financing side isn't the seller starting the price conversation over.
Common questions
How much does a home appraisal cost?
Most single-family home appraisals cost $350 to $550. FHA and USDA appraisals typically run $400 to $700 because of stricter habitability rules, and VA appraisals start around $525 and can reach $1,300 in high-cost areas, though most fall between $600 and $800.
How long does a home appraisal take?
Plan on 10 to 16 days from the appraiser being assigned to the lender receiving the final report. The on-site visit itself is usually just one to two hours. FHA, USDA, and VA appraisals can add another one to two weeks.
Can I order my own appraisal without a lender?
Yes. Homeowners regularly order private appraisals to remove PMI, settle a divorce or estate, dispute a tax assessment, or get a number more exact than an online estimate. You hire and pay the appraiser directly.
What's the difference between an appraisal and a CMA?
A comparative market analysis (CMA) is a free, informal opinion of value from a real estate agent, based on recent comparable sales. An appraisal is a formal, paid report from a licensed third party, ordered by a lender to confirm the home supports the loan amount.
What happens if the appraisal comes in lower than the offer price?
The buyer can bring extra cash to closing, the seller can lower the price to match, both sides can split the gap, or the appraisal can be reviewed or reordered if there's a real dispute over the comps used.
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What this means for your options
Every path to selling a house has real tradeoffs. Cash Flow Deals is built for the middle: faster than a traditional listing, more money than a cash investor.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
No repairs, no showings, no financing contingency on your side — our novation structure connects you with a bank-financed buyer at a price locked at signing. Usually within one business day.
See your selling options before you decide anything.