Contact the appraiser while you are planning the listing, early enough to receive and discuss the report before choosing your asking price. There is no universal number of days that fits every home. Availability, property complexity, unfinished work, access, and the date you need the value to reflect all affect the schedule.
Work backward from the decision you need to make. An appraisal delivered after the asking price has been announced may still help, but it cannot inform a decision that has already been made.
Separate the four dates
The inquiry date starts the scheduling conversation. The inspection date is when the property is observed. The effective date is the date the value opinion addresses. The delivery date is when you receive the report. They may coincide in some respects, but they are not all the same event.
Tell the appraiser when you plan to list and when you need to review the findings. Ask what delivery is feasible before booking photography, advertising, or other commitments around an assumed turnaround.
Choose the timing that fits the property
| Your situation | What to discuss before ordering |
|---|---|
| The home is ready to list | Inspection availability and time to review the report before setting the price. |
| Major work is still underway | Whether you need current as-is value or a separately defined completed-work scenario. |
| The sale is months away | Whether an early planning opinion helps now and what changes could require later analysis. |
| The property is unusual | Additional records, comparable research, and any scope or credential limitations. |
| Access is restricted | An authorized access plan and whether the available information can support the assignment. |
Do not schedule around a renovation assumption
If a bathroom is unfinished or an addition is still being built, explain that in the first inquiry. The appraiser needs to know what exists and what is only planned. A contractor’s expected completion date is not proof that the work will be finished when the inspection occurs.
You may need an opinion of current condition, a defined hypothetical completed condition, or an appraisal after completion. Those require a scope discussion; they should not be treated as free variations of the same assignment. Our repair preparation guide explains why improvement cost is not an automatic value increase.
Allow time for questions after delivery
If the value is below your planned asking price, use our post-appraisal checklist and worksheet before deciding how to respond.
Read the report’s effective date, property description, condition, comparable sales, and reconciliation. If a material fact appears incorrect, gather supporting records and contact the appraiser. Your agent can then consider the supported value alongside current competition and a marketing plan.
For a FSBO sale, reserve the same review time even if you are handling the pricing decision yourself. A report should not become a last-minute document ordered only to justify an already chosen price.
Does a pre-listing appraisal expire?
A value opinion addresses its stated effective date. How useful it remains for a later decision depends on market changes, property changes, and the intended use. A fixed “good for six months” statement can be misleading for a private seller’s decision.
If you postpone the listing or substantially change the property, discuss the earlier report with the appraiser. A follow-up may require new analysis rather than merely changing the date. The appraisal reuse guide explains the limits.
What to include in the scheduling inquiry
Send the property address and type, target listing date, decision deadline, access arrangements, and a brief list of completed or planned work. Mention unusual site features or condominium issues early. In Hampton Roads, those details can affect the research needed more than the number of bedrooms alone.
Ask Capital Valuations about a pre-listing appraisal before committing to a delivery date. Joe will discuss the assignment, fee, and feasible timing with you.