Check the comparable sales your appraisal is built on
Comparable sales, or comps, are recently sold properties the appraiser judged similar to yours. Their prices, adjusted for the differences, point to the value. Ask Search+ which comps were used, how far away and how recent they are, and why each adjustment was made, then open the cited grid and commentary to see whether the choices hold up.
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Last updated October 2026
How to review comps with Search+
- Upload the full appraisal
Add the whole report, including addenda, as a digital or scanned PDF. The grid lists the comps, but the reasons for choosing them are usually in the commentary further on.
- Ask about each comp in turn
Ask "For comparable 1, what are the sale price, sale date, distance and gross adjustment?" and repeat for the others. One comp per question keeps the cited excerpts focused.
- Ask why, not only what
Follow up with "Why was this sale chosen, and were any closer sales rejected?" Open the citation to read the appraiser's explanation in full.
Questions about comparable sales
Which comparable sales were used, with their addresses, sale dates and sale prices?
How far is each comp from the subject property, and how long ago did each sell?
Which comp is most similar to the subject, according to the appraiser, and why?
Did the appraiser include active listings or pending sales, and how were they used?
Does the report mention sales that were considered but not used?
What to look for in the comparable sales
Recent sales usually reflect the current market best. Older sales may need a time adjustment, so check whether one was applied and explained.
Comps from the same neighborhood are generally preferred. If the appraiser went further out, the commentary often says why.
Size, age, condition, lot and room count all matter. The more adjustments a comp needs, the less directly it may reflect the subject.
Many reports show total adjustments per comp. Large totals deserve a closer read of the explanation; what counts as large depends on the market and the lender's guidelines.
Search+ answers from the grid and cites the excerpt for each figure it reports. Check numbers against the cited page before you rely on them.
Comp wording and what to ask next
| Wording you may see | What it usually signals | A follow-up question |
|---|---|---|
| "Comparable Sale #1" | One of the closed sales in the grid | What were its sale price and date? |
| "net adjustment" and "gross adjustment" | Totals of the adjustments | Which comp has the largest gross adjustment, and why? |
| "time adjustment" or "market conditions" | An adjustment for older sales | How was the time adjustment rate supported? |
| "listing" or "pending" | A sale not yet closed | How did the appraiser weight listings against closed sales? |
| "bracketing" | Comps above and below the subject on a feature | Which features are bracketed, and which are not? |
What are comparable sales in an appraisal?
Comparable sales are recent sales of properties similar to the one being appraised. The appraiser adjusts each sale price for differences from the subject property and uses the adjusted prices to support an opinion of value.
Questions about comparable sales
Can Search+ list every comp in my appraisal?
Will it tell me why a comp was chosen?
Can it find the adjustments for a single comp?
Can I check comps against a listing I found?
Is this advice on whether to dispute the appraisal?
Know which sales set your value
Start a workspace, upload the appraisal, and ask about each comparable sale.
Start a workspace