Marge Kilkelly Fri, 02/26/2021 - 8:15am For most working individuals, the home is the largest investment and most valuable asset you own. It consumes our time, money, energy and is the ‘base camp’ of family and friends. It can also be used as equity for education loans, repairs, retirement, or inheritance for children. The value of the property is of considerable importance. This is especially true today as interest rates are at an all-time low, and people lives have changed to include working and schooling from home. The process to purchase, sell or refi a home is a complex web of often well-intentioned law, regulations, and guidance. However, no aspect of that process is more complex, hidden, and hard to fathom that the Real Estate Appraisal. Numerous real estate transactions- moving forward smoothly- are suddenly and mysteriously stopped by a low appraisal. Consumers often find themselves trying to figure out the rationale of the appraisal and meet brick wall after brick wall.