602-312-9571You need a value on a home. Maybe it’s a parent’s house, a property you share with a sibling, a rental you’re thinking about selling, or your own home before you list it. When you start calling appraisers, one of the first questions you’ll hear is whether you want a desktop appraisal or a full appraisal.
Both are real appraisals prepared by a licensed appraiser. The difference is how the appraiser gathers information about the property, and that difference decides which uses each report is suited for. Picking the wrong one can mean paying twice: once for a report that doesn’t fit, and again for the one you actually needed.
This guide is from Firebird Appraisals & Consulting in Gilbert. Our lead appraiser, Gabe Trevizo, is an Arizona certified appraiser (license 22146) and a VA designated appraiser who has been appraising homes across Maricopa and Pinal counties since 2005. Here’s how we help clients choose.
What a Full Appraisal Includes
In a full appraisal, the appraiser visits the property. That usually means walking through the interior, viewing the exterior and the lot, measuring the home, noting its condition and quality, and taking photos. Then the appraiser researches comparable sales, adjusts for the differences between those homes and yours, and reaches a signed opinion of value.
Because the appraiser saw the home in person, the report doesn’t have to rely on someone else’s description. If the kitchen was remodeled, the appraiser saw it. If the roof needs work or a room was added without showing up in county records, the appraiser can account for it. That first-hand view is what makes a full appraisal the stronger choice whenever the value matters to someone other than you.
What a Desktop Appraisal Includes
In a desktop appraisal, the appraiser doesn’t walk through the home. The analysis is built from data: Arizona MLS listing and sales information, Maricopa or Pinal County Assessor records, recorded sales, prior listing photos, and anything the owner provides, such as recent photos, a floor plan, a list of upgrades, or an older appraisal.
A desktop report is still an appraisal. A licensed appraiser selects the comparables, makes the adjustments, and signs the opinion of value. It isn’t an online estimate or an agent’s opinion. The trade-off is that it can only be as accurate as the information behind it, so the report states its assumptions about the property’s size, condition, and features. You can read more about how we handle these on our desktop appraisal page.
The Key Question: Who Else Will Rely on This Number?
The simplest way to choose is to ask who is going to use the value and whether anyone is likely to question it.
If the number is mainly for you or for people who already agree with each other, a desktop appraisal is often enough. If the number will go to a lender, an agency, an attorney, the other side of a dispute, or anyone who may push back, a full appraisal is usually the safer choice. When in doubt, ask whoever will receive the report what they require before you order.
When a Desktop Appraisal Usually Makes Sense
- Family conversations. Siblings who get along and want a neutral starting point before deciding what to do with a parent’s home.
- Friendly buyouts. Co-owners, partners, or relatives who agree on the process and just want a fair reference value.
- Pricing gut checks. Before you list or make an offer, when you want more than a free online estimate.
- Planning decisions. Deciding whether to hold, rent, refinance, or sell, or updating a personal financial statement.
- Investor screening. A quick, signed look at a property before committing to a deeper analysis.
In each of these, the people using the number are on the same side, the home is fairly typical for its neighborhood, and the owner can describe it accurately.
When You Should Choose a Full Appraisal
- A contested divorce or dispute. If the other side may hire its own appraiser, you want a report based on an actual inspection. See our divorce appraisal page.
- Estate and date-of-death values. When a CPA, attorney, or the IRS will rely on the value, most advisors want an inspected report. See our estate and date-of-death appraisal page and our guide to step-up in basis on an inherited Arizona home.
- Anything involving a lender. Purchase and refinance loans use lender-ordered appraisals, and PMI removal follows your servicer’s rules. Our PMI removal guide explains why you should call your servicer first.
- Unusual properties. Acreage, custom homes, major remodels, guest houses or casitas, or homes with few truly similar sales nearby.
- Uncertain condition. If no one has been inside recently, or the home has had damage, deferred maintenance, or unpermitted work, an inspection removes the guesswork.
Our full non-lender appraisals include an interior and exterior inspection, measurements, and photos, and are prepared for private uses like these.
Why Arizona Homes Can Be Tricky Without an Inspection
Public records don’t always tell the whole story, and some common Valley features are easy to miss from a desk:
- Arizona rooms and enclosed patios. Whether a space is heated, cooled, and finished like the rest of the house can change how it’s treated.
- Casitas and guest houses. These may or may not appear in assessor records, and their quality varies widely.
- Solar. Owned and leased systems are handled differently, and the paperwork matters.
- Pools, RV gates, and lot location. A home backing onto a greenbelt and one backing onto a busy road can look identical in a data sheet.
- Interior updates. Two homes built the same year in the same subdivision can be worlds apart inside.
A desktop appraisal can handle these when the owner provides clear photos and details. When the information is thin or the stakes are high, seeing the home in person is worth it.
How to Get the Most From a Desktop Appraisal
If a desktop report fits your situation, you can make it more reliable by sending:
- Recent photos of every main room, the kitchen and baths, the backyard, and the front of the home
- A list of upgrades with approximate dates, such as flooring, roof, HVAC, windows, or a remodel
- Details on any pool, casita, Arizona room, or solar system, including whether solar is owned or leased
- HOA name and contact information
- Any prior appraisal or floor plan you have
For a full appraisal, our guide on how to prepare for a home appraisal in Arizona covers what to have ready on inspection day.
Local Knowledge Matters Either Way
Values in the Valley can shift a lot within a short drive, so comparable sales have to come from the right neighborhood and the right kind of home. We prepare desktop and full appraisals throughout the region, including Gilbert, Mesa, Chandler, Phoenix, Queen Creek, and San Tan Valley. See our full service area for cities across Maricopa and Pinal counties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a desktop appraisal a real appraisal?
Yes. It’s prepared and signed by a licensed appraiser who selects comparable sales and makes adjustments. The difference is that the appraiser doesn’t inspect the home in person.
Can I use a desktop appraisal for a mortgage or PMI removal?
Usually not. Lenders and servicers set their own requirements and typically order the appraisal themselves. Ask them what they’ll accept before ordering anything.
Is a desktop appraisal enough for a divorce?
If both spouses agree and just want a neutral figure, it may be. If the value could be disputed, a full inspected appraisal is the better choice.
What if I order a desktop appraisal and later need a full one?
Call us. We’ll walk you through your options based on how the report will be used.
How long does each type take?
Our typical turnaround is about five business days, and desktop reports are often done sooner.
Not Sure Which One You Need?
Tell us how the value will be used and who will rely on it, and we’ll give you a straight answer, even if it’s the less expensive option. Firebird Appraisals & Consulting serves homeowners, families, and investors across Maricopa and Pinal counties. Call 602-312-9571 or request a quote online with the property address and the reason you need the value.