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For a private opinion of your home’s value for a sale or another personal decision, contact a private appraiser. For questions about your city assessment or assessment record, contact the Virginia Beach Real Estate Assessor’s Office.
This guide explains the difference, what I verify during a typical private appraisal, and how to choose the right starting point for your question.
Why callers mix up “appraisal” and “assessment”
People regularly call me at Capital Valuations and use those two words interchangeably. Someone might ask how much I charge for a city assessment when what they actually need is a private appraisal before putting their house on the market.
I ask what they are trying to accomplish before discussing the assignment. In the calls I receive, the issue is usually the terminology: once the homeowner explains the decision they need to make, we can talk about the appraisal that fits it.
What is the difference between a private appraisal and a city assessment?
A city assessment establishes a value for real estate taxation. It still aims to reflect market value. A private appraisal is prepared for an identified use and client, such as helping a homeowner understand value before selling.
| Your question | Where to start |
|---|---|
| What is my home worth for a private sale or another personal property decision? | A private residential appraiser. Explain the decision and who needs the report. |
| Where can I find my city assessment, or ask about the city’s property record? | The Virginia Beach Real Estate Assessor’s Office. |
| I disagree with my assessment. Who handles the review? | The assessor’s office explains the review process. A private appraiser can separately discuss valuation evidence for that purpose. |
| My mortgage lender requires an appraisal. Should I hire someone myself? | Ask the lender about its ordering requirements before paying for a private report. |
Virginia Beach says it uses mass appraisal to reassess residential neighborhoods: it analyzes sales and applies the findings to similar properties. Its published process also includes field visits to sold properties. That is different from assuming every home receives a fresh interior inspection each year.
For questions about the record itself, see my guide to finding and checking your Virginia Beach assessment record. If you need independent valuation evidence for a dispute, my property tax appeal appraisal page explains that service.
Why I make my own measurements and sketch
For a typical private appraisal with an interior and exterior inspection, I personally inspect and measure the home. I verify the bedroom count, layout, and living area instead of simply carrying the city’s figures into my report. A drive-by or another assignment with a different scope is a separate situation.
For a typical detached single-family house, I measure from the exterior. For an attached condominium unit, I measure the unit’s interior. I prepare my own drawing so I have measurements and a layout I can rely on when developing the appraisal.
I have encountered tax-record sketches with wall dimensions shown in whole feet, while other local records show more precise dimensions. Those differences can affect the calculated area. I do not assume a displayed dimension tells me exactly how the home was originally measured; I make my own measurements.
The second floor can be especially important. I have found that the record’s drawing does not always match the layout I inspect. Renovations may also be missing from the record. Drawing the house myself lets me base the appraisal on the property I actually examined.
Why the interior matters when values differ
When I explain the difference to homeowners, I bring the conversation back to what is inside the house. A dated interior, substantial renovations, or damage can affect my analysis. Looking at the outside alone does not tell me everything I need to know about the home’s overall condition.
The city can consider condition and improvements, too. The question is whether the information used for a particular assessment reflects the property as it exists for the appraisal’s date of value. Different property information or valuation dates can help explain why the two figures differ; a difference alone does not establish which figure is better supported.
That is the practical distinction I explain: during a typical full inspection, I can observe the interior, verify the home’s physical characteristics, and account for its condition and updates in my analysis. I am not relying on the assessment as the answer to the homeowner’s appraisal question.
Does my private appraisal automatically go to the city?
No. When I explain that an appraisal and an assessment serve different purposes, homeowners often ask whether my report goes to the city for their taxes. Preparing a private appraisal for a client does not mean I automatically send that report to the assessor’s office.
If the report is intended to support an assessment appeal, tell me at the outset so we can discuss that use. For the broader tax question, see whether a private appraisal can raise your property taxes.
Tell me what decision you need to make
If you need a private appraisal, send me the property address and explain what you are trying to accomplish. My Virginia Beach home appraisal services page covers the available services, or you can contact me to discuss your appraisal.