How an Appraiser Actually Values Your Backyard ADU
In 2026, the Bay Area has become the national “proving ground” for how Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) impact property value. With rental rates for a 1-bedroom ADU regularly hitting $2,800 to $3,500, homeowners are increasingly viewing these as “backyard gold mines.” However, there is a common point of confusion: Does an appraiser value your ADU based on the […]
How to Order an Appraisal
Getting a professional appraisal can feel overwhelming if you’ve never ordered one before. Whether you are settling an estate, determining a loan amount, or preparing for a commercial sale, knowing what to expect makes the experience seamless. Here is your step-by-step roadmap to the appraisal process at Pacific Appraisers. Step 1: Quote & Turnaround Time […]
Tax Assessment vs. Market Value: What’s the Difference?
Navigating property values can feel like learning a second language, especially when you receive a tax bill that looks nothing like the price tag you’d put on your building. Whether you own a downtown storefront or a residential portfolio, the confusion usually stems from two different numbers: the Assessed Value (from the County) and the […]
Pacific Appraisers Ryan Whitelaw MAI moderates breakout session at the 2022 MBAS
Ryan Whitelaw MAI recently attended the 2022 Monterey Bay Appraisal Seminar (MBAS). Ryan moderated the breakout session on “Best Practices using Marshal and Swift”. The 2022 Monterey Bay Appraisal Seminar was sponsored by the Society of Real Estate Appraisers (SREA), The American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and The American Right of way Association (ARWA). The […]
Key California housing bills enter the home stretch
State lawmakers are now making moves to alleviate California’s soaring rents and home prices. The bills being deliberated cover permanent housing for the homeless, new zoning rules to allow apartments on BART parking lots, and workarounds for the $10,000 federal cap on state and local tax deductions. Assembly Bill 2162 would fast-track housing developments for […]
Mortgage Rates Surge to Highest Since 2013
Mortgage rates surged to their highest level in almost five years this week. Unlike the extremely mild and uneventful day-to-day changes seen for most of the past 2 months, rates are actually putting some distance between themselves and the March plateau. Whereas a well-qualified borrower with 25% down may have been quoted a conventional […]
Bay Area trend – low earners move out, high earners move in
New residents to the Bay Area are earning far more than the people they’re chasing out, pushing up home prices and highlighting the gap between owners and renters in Silicon Valley. Lower income workers moving out of the Bay Area were being replaced by younger workers making about $12,640 more annually from 2005 to 2016, […]
In these California cities, houses probably earn more per hour than you do
Houses in San Francisco earn more per hour than most of their owners – or anyone else, for that matter, – do at work, a new report finds.A study released by real estate site Zillow finds that houses in the Bay Area city typically appreciate at a rate of $60.13 for each working hour, calculated […]
This burned-out Silicon Valley home just hit the market. Asking price? $800,000
A house that suffered major fire damage two years ago is on the market for $800,000 in San Jose, California. The listing, which has already attracted criticism online, would appear to be a clear example of Silicon Valley’s overheated housing market. But the realtor behind the sale has defended the asking price, telling local media […]
Bay Area homes deliver record-breaking returns
Bay Area homes have gained value year-over-year for a record 70 straight months, according to real estate data firm CoreLogic. Some counties have seen average property values nearly double during that stretch, including appreciation of more than 80 percent in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. That’s nearly twice the national increase during […]