After over 30+ years I have decided to retire as a Real Estate Appraiser along with my husband Chuck who worked alongside me for years. It has been one awesome ride! Thanks to many of our local Realtors who helped us move our Appraisal business from lending to personal or private reports (pre-listing, pre-sale, estate) etc. 90% of our business in the past few years has been non-lender business which we love.THE GREAT NEWS? We were able to sell our domain name, online presence and website to another good local Company (Pendley & Pendley Appraisers out of Cumming, GA) who knows the Lake Lanier Market, which was our speciality. Due to our online presence and good reputation among Realtor and Clients, they saw an aquisition as a good move for their Company. I knew about Pendley & Pendley wh... 01/25/2025

Hey Fellow Rainers! Trying to win this year's BEST OF HAll Contest for Appraisers. You can vote once a day the entire month of November if you have the time. Thanks for helping out! They ask for your email and name and zip but you do not have to check any of the other stuff to avoid any emails from Gainesville Times. Then after the first vote it will remember you and you don't have to fill that in again.    https://gainesvilletimes.secondstreetapp.com/Best-of-Hall-County-2022/gallery/306525587/   Mary Thompson 11/01/2021

 ON THIS ELECTION DAY IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE TO SHARE THIS NEWS! Lanier Appraisal Service has been nominated for the BEST OF HALL COUNTY Real Estate Appraiser by our Local Gaineville Times Newspaper! We would love it if you would consider voting for us! You can vote once a day every day through November. You do not have to live in the County to Vote! Here is that link.  Scroll down to bottom of page and click on VOTE.  Thank you for your consideration of this great honor!   11/03/2020

STUNNING home in Sterling w/ ONE-OF-A-KIND LAKE VIEWS! Custom built w/ quality craftsmanship & upgrades throughout & panoramic lake views from almost every room! Gleaming hardwood floors, exquisite trim & gorgeous lighting. Chef’s kitchen offers high-end cabinetry, prof. appliances, granite, custom backsplash, large island, butler’s pantry & breakfast room. Luxury master retreat on main w/ all the upgrades. Elegant great room w/ coffered ceiling & built-in bookshelves opens to amazing screened porch w/ skylights & flagstone. Plenty of storage w/ 3 car garage, spacious closets (one cedar lined) & huge partially finished bonus room. 36” doors, 10’ ceilings & stepless entry. Enjoy resort-style amenities, a vibrant community & close proximity to everything! Free Home Values Follow This Hom... 10/01/2019

55+ BEST Cypress floorplan in Cresswind! Orig floorplan has been customized with UPGRADES THROUGHOUT! Home is IMMACULATE inside & out & has been meticulously maintained! The original sunroom was built in AS PART OF THE HOME which makes a great family/ tv room Beautiful Gourmet kitchen with granite counters, Lrg island, SS appls & upgraded decorative cabinetry. Framed b'fast bar overlooks open DR & GR, all with 10' high ceilings that carry thru the 1st floor. Mstr Br w/his & her WICs w/cstm built ins. Mstr Ba w/dbl vanities & Lrg wlk in shower. Nice study also on main level! Upstairs loft/BR w/half Ba Half BA is prepped & can easily conv to full BA. Outside are flowers shrubbery & plants everywhere! Amazing expansive views of mountains! ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!! Homes Close to Where You Wo... 08/14/2019

Yours Truly  (Lanier Appraisal Service) interviewed again at WDUN Radio in Gainesville, GA this morning. So much fun!FB Post: "Another fantastic radio show talking appraisals and Real Estate with Kim Waters - Norton Realtor. Thanks for the invite to the show Kim and Tracy Tesmer (show host). — with Tracy Tesmer and Kim Waters."We discussed Zillow ( a hot topic), whether Appraisers want the homeowner there during the Appraisal appointment, Comparable Sales selection, how Appraiser's determine square footage, etc. The hour flies by so fast we could have talked for another hour easily. NEXT Time. We have been invited back next year for more shows!      12/01/2018

 Had a very fun morning as a guest on the WDUN North GA Radio talk show. I was on with a local Realtor Kim Waters and we discussed all things Real Estate and Appraisals. A very good exchange indeed! The Host loved getting the behind the scenes information from an Appraiser. Never had an Appraiser on the show before.  Next one set for December 1st, you will have to listen in. You can stream it live: 9:00 AM - 10 AM here: http://accesswdun.com/media/player Thanks WDUN and Kim for the invite to the show!   03/31/2018

A day in the life of a Lake Lanier Appraiser includes a TV interview with Channel 2 about water levels and its impact on Lake Lanier Real Estate Values, plus an interview for The Gainesville Times Newspaper.  It was fun to be "famous" for awhile :)Brian Monahan with Channel 2 to the left. Yours truly in the middle and Camera Man on the Right. Channel 2 Interview Segment 1 Channel 2 Interview Segment 2 The Gainesville Times Interview   06/30/2017

Most homebuyers consider getting new construction homes for several reasons. One of the reasons is the freedom of the buyer to customize their home according to their lifestyle as some resale properties do not meet all of their necessary criteria. They are also more confident of the fact that they are using brand new materials, avoiding the need to continuously do repairs. The option to choose the area to live in is also a goal for new construction homebuyers.One city in Georgia that people consider when buying a home is Flowery Branch. Flowery Branch New Construction homes are known to be less expensive than in other parts of the state. Aside from that, the new construction neighborhoods in Flowery Branch offer pristine amenities, are near great schools, and are surrounded by rich hist... 06/27/2017

...BRACKETING...What is that? It is an essential process that Appraiser's must follow for most every Lender when selecting comparable sales. Therefore REALTORS need to do the same thing when completing a Market Analysis or BPO. When Appraiser's select comps they must Bracket nearly every single feature of the Subject including Sales price, Square footage, Bed and Bath Count, Acreage, Quality, Condition, Basement, Age of home, etc.  So if we are looking at a home that is selling for $250,000 with 2,100 square feet, 4 beds, 3 baths, plus a 1,000 finished basement on 1.0 acre, our comps have to include sales that sold below and above this price and are smaller and larger than the subject in Square footage, Acreage, Room Count, Basement finish, etc.  Lenders do not want us to adjust UP or ... 04/15/2017

Selling a Home in Gainesville GA? Free Home Selling Solutions and Strategies  Selling a home in Gainesville GA? Choosing the best Gainesville GA listing agent is a priority if you want to sell your Gainesville GA home for the best price and the shortest time. After all you want to sell your home in Gainesville not just put a sign and the ground and hope it sells. There is no point when your home in Gainesville becomes an expired listing and did not sell. No one wants that! Getting the best results when selling a home in Gainesville Georgia starts with hiring Gainesville best listing agents to represent you and your needs. You need to have experienced Gainesville real estate agents that have a proven track record to guide you through the entire home selling process. That is where we come... 11/15/2016

Gainesville GA Homes for Sale by Price | Search Homes Gainesville GA homes for sale by price.  Search Gainesville GA Homes for sale in the MLS as listed by list price ranges. Gainesville is a great place to live in North Atlanta, it is easily accessed by I-75, and is located in Hall County Georgia.  That means great Hall County GA schools, and plenty of nearby shopping, newer homes,  reasonable home prices, parks & Recreation, and great restaurants! So find the home of your dreams in Gainesville Georgia by searching by price range the price range that is most suited to your needs.  For more information about Gainesville homes for sale, please contact us! * If No Homes Appear on Search - No Homes are Available for Sale at this Time. Gainesville GA New Just Listed Homes for Sale!Gainesvil... 05/20/2016

Lake Lanier Realtors Attention Please....I ran some numbers because I was operating on observations, but wanted to back them up with Real Stats. The Results were shocking. Moral of the story is DO not let the Sellers "Test the Market" It is not working!Run, don't walk away from sellers who will not listen and price their homes to SELL. Please Read STATS Below and pass them along to your Sellers!If you need further reinforcement, consider a Pre-Listing Appraisal. Hall & Forsyth Counties: For Lake homes with Dock permits (not including platform or Community Docks) there are 82 homes with days on the market over 90 up to 180 days. That is almost 35% of all lake homes on the market in these counties during this time frame. There are 126 Homes on the market 60 days to 180 Days. That is 57.8%... 07/09/2015

Hall County GA Homes for Sale By Zip CodesHall County GA homes for sale by zip codes make it easier for home buyers to find the home of their dreams in Atlanta.  What easier way to find Atlanta homes listed for sale than to do a search for Atlanta homes by zip codes?  To simplify your home search - we've created this cheat sheet to narrow you search. Once there you can narrow your search by price, style of home, and amenities.In the meantime feel free to search our site for Hall County GA homes for sale by zip codes.  *If no homes appear on search below, that means no homes are available for sale at this time.Hall County Homes for Sale by Zip CodesHall County Zip Codes  Clermont GA 30527 Flowery Branch GA 30542 Gainesville GA 30501 Gainesville GA 30504 Gainesville GA 30506 Gainesville G... 05/19/2015

Gainesville GA Homes for Sale by Homes Features Gainesville GA homes for sale by homes features.  Are you looking to purchase a home in the Gainesville area of Gainesville GA? Do you know what you are looking for in a home?  I mean the specifics in the home you want to buy...such as the style of home, neighborhood, upgrades, price of home, neighborhood amenities, the type of lot etc.  Well you are in luck!  I created this page just for the Gainesville GA home buyer or seller.  Now you can search for homes in Gainesville that fit your needs, and price. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions!  It will be our pleasure to assist you buying or selling Gainesville GA real estate and homes for sale. * If No Homes Appear on Search Below - No Homes are Available at this Time. Gainesvi... 11/23/2014

Subdivisions Gainesville GA - Find Homes for Sale Search subdivisions in Gainesville GA find homes for sale.  Search LS listing to find houses and homes for sale in Forsyth Co. GA in Gainesville GA subdivisions and communities. Searching for Gainesville GA homes by subdivisions online makes a lot of sense, save time and gas driving around searching for the perfect neighborhoods, and the best places to live. With Broker reciprocity and IDX - We have all the MLS Active listings here, even listings of homes listed with our competitor real estate companies and agents. If you click on the subdivisions below you can search for single family homes that are listed for sale in that particular subdivision. If no homes appear, that means no homes are available for sale at this time in that partic... 11/22/2014

In Case you are in need of an Appraiser who KNOWS Lake Lanier in North Georgia, here is what people are saying about our Service. With the Recent Re-Assessments of Lake Lanier Property in Hall County, You need someone who understands lake values in order to provide a realistic and TRUE market value for your Lake Lanier Home.    Below are reviews from 2 Realtors and 2 Clients about Lanier Appraisal Service and Mary Thompson as a Lake Lanier Appraiser.         Teresa Smith   Mary Thompson is the most widely respected appraiser when it comes to lake lanier property. Since each lake lanier property has its own personality, it is difficult to 'do' comps or a CMA. Mary does many pre-list appraisals for me so we have a definite guideline in which to price correctly the 1st time and hopefully ... 09/29/2014

Since the Announcement this week of Zillow acquiring Trulia for 3.5 Billion in Stock (see link above on the story) I thought it appropriate to have a discussion on the real difference between "Zestimates" or AVM's (Automated Valuation Models) and Appraisals.    Very Few Lenders rely on AVM's solely for loan decisions and that is just smart business practice. We all know AVM's cannot be relied upon to value unique properties such as Lake Lanier, Golf Course Homes or homes on Acreage. They are best for "Cookie Cutter" Homes where they are all very similar to each other.    7 things an automated or non-appraiser valuation won't tell you. Before you Buy or Rely on one of these online automated valuations of a home, read below:   Lenders and brokers using Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) a... 08/02/2014

For homeowners, a real estate appraisal is the linchpin to buying or selling their home. It allows the property transactions to occur among the buyer, seller, real estate agent and mortgage lender.   Before an Appraiser arrives, there are a few things you should know. By law, an appraiser must be state licensed to perform appraisals prepared for federally related transactions. Also by law, you are entitled to receive a copy of the completed appraisal report from your lender.   To facilitate the appraisal process, it's beneficial to have these documents ready for the appraiser: A plot plan or survey of the house and land (if readily available) including illustration which shows any special easements or encroachments. Information on the latest purchase of the property in the last three ye... 07/07/2014

Lake Lanier Tax Assessments came out in the mail a few weeks ago and our phone has been ringing off the hook. While everyone knows Lake Lanier property has been under assessed for many years. NOW the equalization or Re-Appraisal of all Lake Homes in Hall County, GA appear to be OVER-assessed. The pendulum has swung the other way and too far! They are including your boat dock in the tax bill but not showing you how much your PERSONAL property (Boat Dock) is being valued or taxed under your REAL property Bill. You have to call their office to find out how much value they are placing on your dock. They appear to be incorrectly valuing your boat dock. I have a few owners who have been taxed on an ALUMINUM Dock (more expensive) as opposed to STEEL docks that are actually in place.  They drov... 05/27/2014