Yes I've challenged a buyers appraisers, often. First off they were hired by the buyers broker designed to lower the value of my property so they can nickel and dime me down.

As a licensed builder, contractor, designer and long term landlord I've seen it all. I don't keep blinders over my eyes, I keep them wide open, not afraid to spend a few bucks to insure my points are well taken.

For example. When I was selling a investment property their appraiser was from out of the area with little experience in my market. I was selling an apartment building and the appraiser mainly worked on homes from out of State. The company he worked for had seasoned appraisers that lived in my town over 20 years but they chose not to use those people and try to pull the wool over my eyes.

The report read like a comic book. Pictures, captions and stories off target. For example a wood runner to a shed had termites. He made it sound like the building had termites everywhere and needed to be tented. He could have told the truth and said, "found termites in wood laying on the ground, should have expert check out the property and get a "Termite Report"".

Then he showed pictures of PVC pipes that ran 8" under grade for the sprinkle system with 6 stations. He said, "The water supply to the building is Plastic not Copper and needs to be changed". Not true.

At the end of his report he said the upgrades and repairs would cost $35,000 and the value of similar properties in the area sold for $50,000 less than my asking price. Those properties were in worse areas and were a year old, nothing up to date. They were trying to lower the price by $85,000.

So I hired another appraiser who just left the company that did the above appraiser for the buyer. His opinion was the property was in great condition with no deferred maintenance. As a contractor I keep things up. And the value was priced correctly with other sales closing at my price or higher.

So when they buyers agent tried to get a price reduction, my agent offered the appraiser I paid for. We let them know we knew of the games they tired to play. My instructions, No Discount and 3 day left to accept the deal and wave all contingencies.

Just means the seller needs to bring more money to closing. :-)

Along the Same Lines as Robert J.,

(Without using All of My Talented Titles)

I was Selling a Nice Home, $ 250.000 ( On 4 Acres)

that showed Well, Inside / Out. (Note, it was Vacant)

I did Not want anyone using the Turdlet,

so I Blue Taped it off, with a Do Not Use Sign and turned the Main Control Water Valve, Off. ( In Basement )

The Banks Appraiser (from Another City) wrote up that the Plumbing

(Water) was Not in Use, making it Appear to be a Problem.

So Down went the Price.

I said, We can either Shut the Deal Down or get a (Local)

Appraiser in here.

The Buyer Liked the Low Number and decided to Dance.

I told the Bank and the Buyer, ya got 3 Days.

On the 3rd day the Bank had a (Local) Appraiser scheduled.

Note: I paid for this.

I met Him at the House, removed the tape and turned the water

back on, allowing All Plumbing Fixtures to Work.

The number came back to Reality, and now I had a Disappointed Buyer.

Again, I said, 3 Days, Crybaby.

On the 3rd Day,the Deal was Signed, and Accepted,

Assuming the stairs are interior then yes you should question the appraisal but since stairs are not broken out how do you know they forgot to include them/ What is your basis for the specific SF of your home? A previous appraisal? Your tax records? The original appraisal provided when you purchased the home?

I have argued numerous times about banks appraisals either because of the comps they used or the measurements. But before you question them you need to be able to prove the measurements are incorrect.

OH God yes. I had to have all the buildings appraised after mom died and I inherited. The final value was so high that I would have had to pay federal inheritance tax even though Pres Bush had raised the bar on that.

So I started looking at the comparables. This was 2006. I drove to them and found unsold buildings and shacks that were boarded up. I ordered a text book from an Association of Appraisers and read it. What I found was that only the value of SOLD properties could be used as a comparable and the value must be from the time of the death of the owner or just before.

I challenged the appraisal for which I had paid 5K. The firm had lawyers and lots of experienced agents and they refused to speak to me or refund. I had a deadline to submit the appraisal with the tax return so I hired another appraiser and explained what had happened. He redid the appraisal using sold homes from the month or two around my mother's passing. The appraisal came in at HALF what the crooked one was. I still had to pay NJ inheritance tax. It had just been put in place that year by Governor McGreevey. I did not have to pay federal tax too. As it was, I had to start cutting grass etc. because they took all my working capital. That inheritance tax has been removed by Governor Christie thank fully.