363: What to Do When the Appraisal Comes In Low

Three low appraisals. Ten days. One Realtor who used to be an appraiser herself, with a dad and sister still in the field.

If you've been hearing agents in your market say appraisals are coming in low right now, you're not imagining it. In this episode, Alissa walks us through three real, current transactions where the appraisal came in under contract price, and what she actually did about each one. From a $20,000 gap that took two hours of dispute writing to a $55,000 shortfall that made her question her entire career, this is a real look at what it takes to fight for your seller, or protect your buyer, when the number comes back low.

We get into why appraisers are often behind the market, what actually goes into a strong appraisal dispute letter, why you should never let ChatGPT write the whole thing for you, and how to keep your sellers grounded without ever making promises you can't keep.

Here's what we cover in this episode:

Why appraisals are coming in low right now, and why appraisers are always a little behind the market

Case Study #1: the $20,000 low appraisal that got resolved for a $13,000 gap

Exactly how to start an appraisal dispute (and why you review before you call your seller)

What actually goes in a dispute letter: facts only, no feeling words

Why you can't rely on ChatGPT to write your dispute for you

Buyer and seller options when an appraisal comes in low, and who really has to sign off

Case Study #2: the small $3,000 gap where the seller chose not to dispute at all

Case Study #3: the $55,000 appraisal gap that took two of the longest dispute letters of the week